Cyberdyne is a Japanese robotics and

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and Reproducibility, reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in me ...

company most noted for the marketing and distribution of the HAL

robotic Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrate ...

exoskeleton An exoskeleton (from Greek ''éxō'' "outer" and ''skeletós'' "skeleton") is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to an internal skeleton (endoskeleton) in for example, a human. In usage, some of the ...

suit.

History

Cyberdyne was founded on June 24, 2004, by Yoshiyuki Sankai, a professor at the

University of Tsukuba is a public research university located in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. It is a top 10 Designated National University, and was ranked Type A by the Japanese government as part of the Top Global University Project. The university has 28 colle ...

. as a venture company to develop his ideas for an exoskeleton suit. The name is the same as a fictional company from the ''

Terminator Terminator may refer to: Science and technology Genetics * Terminator (genetics), the end of a gene for transcription * Terminator technology, proposed methods for restricting the use of genetically modified plants by causing second generation s ...

'' film series, which also produces robots. The name, however, is not necessarily a reference, but from the new academic fields of "Cybernetics", and the suffix "-dyne", referring to power. That being said, during an interview between Sankai and

McG The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as "The 'G", is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hem ...

, director of

Terminator Salvation ''Terminator Salvation'' is a 2009 American military science fiction action film directed by McG and written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris. It is the fourth installment of the ''Terminator'' franchise and serves as a sequel to '' Termi ...

, Sankai admits that he likes the Terminator franchise as well as 2001: A Space Odyssey. In early 2009, Cyberdyne attracted international

media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass e ...

attention with the announcement that it will be marketing and distributing the

HAL 5 The Hybrid Assistive Limb (also known as HAL) is a powered exoskeleton suit developed by Japan's Tsukuba University and the robotics company Cyberdyne. It is designed to support and expand the physical capabilities of its users, particularly peo ...

(Hybrid Assistive Limb)

powered exoskeleton A powered exoskeleton, also known as power armor, powered armor, powered suit, cybernetic suit, cybernetic armor, exosuit, hardsuit, exoframe or augmented mobility, is a mobile machine that is wearable over all or part of the human body, pro ...

, which they claim augments body movement and increases user strength by up to ten times. As of February 2013, Cyberdyne has leased 330 HAL suits to 150 facilities across Japan, and HAL has been given a global safety certification that should allow it to be distributed outside Japan. In 2017 March, Abdul Latif Jameel of Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cyberdyne Inc. in order to assist the victims of traumatic spinal injuries in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

References

External links

* Companies based in Ibaraki Prefecture Japanese companies established in 2004 Technology companies established in 2004 Medical technology companies of Japan Robotics companies of Japan Japanese brands Companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange {{robot-stub