Honda takes a walk
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At Honda, mobility doesn’t just come on wheels.
The Japanese automaker has been developing what it calls “walking assist devices,” which are designed to increase the stamina and mobility of people with weak leg muscles. Honda said today that the devices, unveiled in Japan last year, will have their U.S. debut at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit April 20-23.
The devices — dubbed Stride Management Assist and Bodyweight Support Assist — grew out of Honda’s research into robotics. The company is testing a humanoid robot known as Asimo that is designed to respond to the thoughts of its human operator.
“A lot of people think of Honda as just a car company or just a motorcycle company,” spokeswoman Alicia Jones said. “But Honda has always thought of itself as a mobility company, and these devices are intended to further human mobility.”
According to Honda, the Stride Management Assist is a lightweight, wearable device designed for people who have weakened leg muscles but can still walk on their own. Strapped around the waist and thighs, it contains small motors and a computer that monitors the user’s walking motion and uses the information to provide assistance in lengthening stride and regulating walking pace. See videos after the jump.
The Bodyweight Support Assist is a more complex device that extends all the way down the user’s legs and includes shoes. In addition to providing walking assistance, this device is designed to reduce the amount of weight the legs have to support and make it easier to perform physically demanding tasks such as climbing stairs or standing for long periods of time.
Honda, which is currently testing the devices on residents at assisted living centers in Japan, has no timetable for bringing the devices to market.
“The experimental devices are still in a research phase and we are in the process of validating the technology,” the company says.
Honda also couldn’t provide any clues as to what the devices would cost if they make it to market, although they’re bound to be cheaper than those motorized scooters.
-- Martin Zimmerman