Keynote summary of Prof. Yoshiyuki Sankai
Cybernics is a new domain of interdisciplinary academic field of human-assistive technology to enhance, strengthen, and support human's cognitive and physical functions, which challenges to integrate and harmonize humans and robots (RT: robotics technology) with the basis of information technology (IT) in a functional, organic, and social manner. We aim to develop the frontier science Cybernics, which is centered on cybernetics, mechatronics, and informatics, and it challenges to integrate neuroscience, robotics, systems engineering, information technology, "kansei" engineering, ergonomics, physiology, social science, law, ethics, management. The goal of the Program represents a Grand Challenge that makes breakthroughs in the innovative creation and fusion of forefront researches based on information science. A pioneering achievement of Cybernics is Robot Suit HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limbs) developed by Yoshiyuki Sankai. HAL is the world’s first cyborg type robot that enhances and strengthens the limb motion of human bodies by detecting the weak bioelectrical signal through the body from the brain which generates the nerve signal to control the musculoskeletal system. In this talk, I will deliver the outline Cybernics approach based on our experienced and introduce the work performed in Cybernics. And, I may present what we have done related in this fields and the world leading human-assistive technology supporting a long-lived and healthy society.
