<div class="page photo" style=""> <article> <header style=" background-image:url(/imageLibrary/keyboard-338507_948.jpg); "> <div class="box"> <div class="intro" style="color: #000;"> <h1 style="color: #000 !important;">What's New</h1> <p class="summary"></p> </div> </div> </header> <div class="main"> <div class="container"> <p class="byline"> </p> <p><img src="/uploads/548a3e5560b12_948.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4><a href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/bionics/will-the-whill-hitech-wheelchair-sell">Will the Whill Hi-Tech Wheelchair Sell?</a></h4><p>By Tam Harbert Posted&nbsp;24 Apr 2015 | 15:00 GMT</p><p>Photo: Whill</p><p><img src="/uploads/555339298f44f.png" unselectable="on"></p><p>A Japanese startup founded by former automotive engineers wants to turn the wheelchair into an accessory for the tech savvy. Their company, <a href="http://whill.us/">Whill</a>, is building a “personal mobility device” that it says is easier and more comfortable to use than conventional power wheelchairs. Whill’s chair, called the Model A, features an advanced drive system that lets it take tight turns and ride on rough terrain. It also has a minimalist, sleek design that makes it look like it came from a science fiction movie.</p><p>This month, Whill plans to start selling the Model A in Japan and the United States (initially only in California, for US $9,500). The company is betting on what might seem like a strange thing: that the global market for wheelchairs will grow at a fast pace, and that users will demand more capable—and better-looking—offerings. Some demographic trends support this: The number of people 65 and older is expected to triple by 2050 to reach 1.5 billion, or about one in every six people on the planet. And the older population is likely to help drive up the number of people with disabilities, which is at 15 percent today, according to the World Health Organization.</p><p><a href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/biomedical/bionics/will-the-whill-hitech-wheelchair-sell">Read more</a></p><p><img src="/uploads/54ad19735dcd3_948.jpg" unselectable="on"></p><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4><a href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/medical-robots/cyberdyne-to-offer-robot-suit-hal-in-the-us">Cyberdyne wants to offer Robot Suit HAL in the U.S.</a></h4><p>By Jason Falconer Posted 9 Dec 2014 | 21:17 GMT</p><p><img src="/uploads/55533a6e253b9.png" unselectable="on"></p><p>Cyberdyne, a robotics spin-off of the University of Tsukuba, in Japan, first unveiled its HAL exoskeleton nearly a decade ago. Over the years, the company has improved its technology, expanded its product line, and carried out a steady commercialization program. It currently offers the HAL suit in Japan and Europe, and is planning to enter the U.S. market next year.</p><p>Last month, Cyberdyne submitted an application to the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, seeking clearance to commercialize HAL in the United States. The company filed its submission as part of FDA’s <em>de novo</em> classification process, which allows certain medical devices whose safety and effectiveness have been demonstrated to be marketed without clinical trials. Cyberdyne hopes to obtain clearance by end of 2015.</p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aK9yx55X_PU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Ysb-Oko3Bg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><p><a href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/medical-robots/cyberdyne-to-offer-robot-suit-hal-in-the-us">Read more</a></p><p><img src="/uploads/548a3e7b0c3f9_948.jpg" unselectable="on"></p><h4></h4><h4><p><img src="/uploads/55530a0297fc2.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a10e6cf2.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a186270b.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a220c94c.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a2b10e57.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a33d22ba.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a3c89f5f.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a446540b.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a4dd6417.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a59ed20f.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a64c63bc.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a75bf14d.JPG" unselectable="on"></p><p><img src="/uploads/55530a8d025b7.JPG" unselectable="on"></p></h4><h4></h4><h4></h4><h4></h4> </div> </div> </article> </div><!-- /page-->