Yamato reportedly looking to try out “Assist Suit”

Japanese parcel delivery company Yamato Holdings is reportedly one of the organizations which is planning to see if a new mechanised suit being developed by Mitsui and partners could help its staff perform their heavy-lifting duties. The Assist Suit AWN-03, which was developed by Panasonic’s robotic r&d arm ActiveLink, allows the wearer to lift 15kg without stressing the lower back. Mitsui demonstrated the outfit at its Tokyo headquarters on Friday (14 August).

However, Mitsui said that the Assist Suit is just the starting point. Within two years, the Japanese sogo shosha and its partners plan to roll out a model with super-powerful mechanical arms and legs – not unlike the device which Sigourney Weaver wore/drove to battle the evil queen in Aliens.