Oh, Metal Gear?

[anigbrowl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yri6tpXGBSk

Japanese robot exoskeleton for agriculture. Should be on the market within 2-3 years for about $7-10,000, and presumably looking a
bit more spiffy than this prototype. In Japanese, but the pictures are what's interesting.

[Thor_MN]

1. Well, they certainly didn't challenge the suit in the video.

Unless its sole purpose is to provide you with support when you squat down, it didn't look like it could do much. I've often thought a power suit would be ideal for masonry, especially segmented retaining walls, which are dry stacked. For gardening, which it looks like they are doing in the video, I don't think you need a power suit to touch plant leaves.

[phantom power]

2. I can see how it would make a big difference over a 12-hour day.

Having felt what it's like to spend a few hours weeding a garden. Not so pleasing for the legs and back.

I'm having trouble imagining the agricultural industry providing these to laborers, except maybe in John McCain's parallel universe where nobody picks lettuce for less than $50/hour.

[sakabatou]

3. Freaky