One to file under ‘strange but true’. New Scientist is reporting several Japanese technology companies are building exoskeleton suits to help them stay in the workforce longer as they age.
One company, Innophys, has developed a backpack-like suit that can allow someone to lift to 25 kilograms and can be ‘charged’ by squeezing a hand pump 30 times to fill pressurised air-powered “muscles.”
“One client is a family-owned company which makes and sells pickled radish and uses heavy weights in the process of production,” Innophys spokesperson Daigo Orihara said. “The father is in his 70s and was supposed to retire but is still working with our muscle suit.”
It’s not a cheap option though – the suits costs around US$1,300.
Panasonic has also built the Atoun Model Y, a $5,500 suit that can add 10 kilograms of lifting force, while Toyota is also researching motorised exoskeletons.
With such expensive price tags however, will the suits find a market?
With the Japanese government looking at raising the retirement age from 60 to 70 – and people aged over 65 making up 12.9% of Japan’s workforce or 8.62 million people – the tech companies say yes.
Looks like it’s time to invest in some exoskeleton start-ups.
