JAPAN — Older people in Japan are suiting up in exoskeletons to help them get through the daily grind and to stay in the workforce longer. <br /><br />According to New Scientist, The Land of the Rising Sun isn't getting any younger, with a whopping 28 percent of the population 65 or older. <br />The problem is, the country now has fewer and fewer young people which has led to a shortage of workers, especially in manual labor industries like construction, manufacturing and farming. <br />To help them stay in the game, Japan has no choice but to have its aging workforce remain working as long as possible. That's not depressing at all. <br />Enter good OLD Japanese technology. Several tech firms in Japan are developing exoskeleton suits to give workers added support so they can keep on working. <br />One of these firms is Innophys, which has designed several exosuits that you wear like a backpack. <br />By squeezing the hand pump 30 times, you pump air into the air-powered 'muscles' which then allows the person to lift up to 55 pounds. <br />They ain't cheap though. Just one suit costs 1300 bones. <br />At this rate, it should only be a matter of time before Japan goes real Gundam style.
