Panasonic's Power Loader Light slims down, stays out of fights with aliens

Panasonic's full-size Power Loader exoskeleton certainly has its place, but there are times when giant freaking robots arms might be considered overkill. Thankfully, Panasonic (or more specifically, its Activelink subsidiary) has considered such situations, and has now come out with its streamlined Power Loader Light (or PLL). As you can see, this model eschews the robot arms altogether, but it makes use of the same direct force feedback system that's able to predict your leg movements and increase your leg strength by up 40 kilograms. Of course, even the Light version is still a bit out of reach for everyday use -- it will initially cost around $223,000, but Panasonic is offering a grant program to potential developers that would cut the price in half.