Last Friday Honda showcased an experimental walking assist contraption designed to relieve stress on legs and knees. The gadget consists of a seat, akin to that of a bicycle, and mechanical legs controlled by a computerized system of gears and motors.

The prototype, which as of yet has no official name, is not a far stretch from Honda's core business. According to the Associated Press, it was conceived primarily as a means to aid autoworkers forced to peer underneath vehicles on an assembly line. The company says that the device may also be used to help Japan's aging population stay on its feet in what may become an army of bionic grandmas and grandpas.

"This should be as easy to use as a bicycle," said Jun Ashihara, one of the machine's chief engineers. "It reduces stress, and you should feel less tired."