The Japanese are most likely the biggest fans of robots in the world, at least that's what their numerous inventions in the field of robotics suggest. Taking into consideration the fact that they have already built all sorts of robots, whose purposes vary, from entertainment to medical, let's say, their latest stunt doesn't seem that weird after all. To be much more specific than that, the Japanese have come up with an agriculture robot suit to make a farmer's work easier.

The Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology has developed an agriculture robot suit designed specifically to help out with tough agricultural work like pulling radishes. The suit has eight motors fitted over the shoulders, elbows, back and knees to provide a power boost to the wearer. The current model weighs a hefty 25 kilograms, but developers hope to halve the weight and have it on the market in two years, retailing for between 500,000 and 1 million yen (meaning somewhere between 5,600 and 11,200 Us dollars).

 

In the demonstration at the university's campus in the city of Fuchu, Tokyo, the suit was used to help pull out radishes, prune tangerine trees and pick strawberries. Pulling out radishes usually exerts a force of about 30 kilograms on the lower back, but with the suit, less than half the effort was needed. Pruning work, in which the hands are held up for a long time, and picking strawberries, which requires workers to bend their backs, also strain the body heavily, but the suit enabled the tasks to be completed with virtually no exertion.

 

Since almost half of the agricultural workers in Japan are aged 65 or over, this exoskeleton suit is more than welcome. And, according to its developers, the more people buy it, the more will afford it, as, if 100 pieces are sold, it would be possible to lower the price to less than 3,500 US dollars.

 
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