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Japanese Exoskeleton Could Help Users Walk and Run, No Batteries Required

posted by takyon on Wednesday December 02 2015, @11:00PM   Printer-friendly
from the get-a-spine dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

Assistive exoskeletons are a bit like electric bikes – they do indeed give users a power boost, but part of that boost is needed just to move the extra weight along. Japanese researchers at Hiroshima University and Daiya Industry Co., however, have created a minimalist exoskeleton that does away with heavy batteries and motors. Instead, their Unplugged Powered Suit (UPS) harnesses the wearer's own weight.

The UPS consists of a pump located under the sole of the user's foot, an air hose that runs up the leg from that pump, and what's known as a Pneumatic Gel Muscle (PGM).

With each step that the wearer takes, their foot presses down on the pump. This pushes air up the hose to a hip belt, where it's relayed into the PGM. There, it temporarily causes a gel contained within the device to compress, causing the whole thing to contract and relax like a natural muscle.

See also at Aalborg University and Hiroshima University.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Thursday December 03 2015, @02:54AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday December 03 2015, @02:54AM (#271137) Journal

    I see most of them, but not all.

    I resorted to fileformat.info [fileformat.info] to search for the characters I couldn't and see what fonts support them.
    E.g. try the u+1f473, pick the character page info and follow the "Fonts that support ...".
    or directly go to fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/<char_code>/fontsupport.htm

    For the case in example, symbola (most emojies) and it seems that this [debian.org] may be the package you want.
    If you can't find a package, tough luck you will need to search for the font and install it manually (and also manually refresh it from time to time).

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Informative=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Informative' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   3  

  • (Score: 2) by bart9h on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:17AM

    by bart9h (767) on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:17AM (#271153)

    Couldn't find the package locally, but downloaded it from packages.debian.org, and it worked. Thanks.

  • (Score: 2) by bart9h on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:22AM

    by bart9h (767) on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:22AM (#271157)

    After installing symbola, I checked fileformat.info like you suggested, and found the font to show the remaining characters. Now even all of dongerlist.com works.

    ᕕ( ՞ ᗜ ՞ )ᕗ

    • (Score: 2) by bart9h on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:26AM

      by bart9h (767) on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:26AM (#271162)

      ops, forgot to mention: it's "unifont"

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:31AM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday December 03 2015, @03:31AM (#271168) Journal

      After installing symbola

      Thanks. Seems it's time to refresh my symbola (manual) installation.

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford