HAL or "hybrid assistive limb" that's designed by Cyberdyne's Yoshiyuki Sankai has been in development for a few years now. Time has come for Cyberdyne to offer a version of HAL to the public, particularly to people with mobility problems. Beginning on Friday, a 22-pound leg-only HAL will be available for rent for $2,200 a month. It might seem a bit costly for ordinary people, but Japan is an expensive country to begin with, and the price could go down in time.

The robotic exoskeleton has a computer system that could be belted on one's waist. That system is the one responsible for capturing brain signals and transmitting them to the leg braces unlike the ReWalk robotic exoskeleton which you'd have to manually input a command using a remote control. Additionally, unlike ReWalk, it seems HAL won't require crutches for balance support. The two-leg HAL will come in small, medium, and large sizes although there's also a one-leg version available for rent for $1,500 per month. While offered for rent, no word was given whether Cyberdyne will sell HAL systems for now. It is, however, only meant for social welfare with the company refusing requests for military use.