Cybernics Revolution: Fusion of Humans, AI-Robots and Information Systems -Wearable Cyborg, Innovative Cybernic System, Medical Innovation-

Abstract

Cybernics is a new academic field that brings together differing realms of academia in brain/ neuroscience, behavioral science, robotic engineering, IT, artificial intelligence, system integration, biology, psychology, philosophy, ethics, law and business. "Cybernics", which fuses "Human" and "Cyber-Physical space", plays a central role in promoting innovation in the "Cybernics Industry" following the robotics industries and IT industries. And it can further contribute to the development of the Medical and Biological Engineering field. Now, the Cybernics Consortium is taking on the challenge of creating various innovative technologies, promoting social implementation, and pioneering the future in the medical, welfare, and living fields including the work environment.

HAL, which is a representative example of research and development of cybernics technologies, is called the world's first "Wearable Cyborg" that functionally fuses humans and robots, by connecting human and HAL using bioelectric signals derived from the brain-nerve system. It is very interesting from the viewpoint of Medical and Biological Engineering field. Wearing the HAL establishes the interactive Bio-Feedback (iBF) loop between the brain/body and HAL, strengthening and modulating synaptic connections between nerves and nerves, and between nerves and muscles. Functional improvement and functional regenerative therapy using medical HAL approved as a medical device as a new medical technology is called Cybernics treatment or HAL-Therapy/HALTreatment, and becomes being common as a cybernic/robotic medical device platform in Japan, the United States, Europe, ASIA etc. For HAL-treatment, public workers compensation insurance is applied in Germany, and in Japan, public medical insurance is applied for progressive neuromuscular diseases (8 diseases including SMA, ALS, muscular dystrophy, etc.), for which there was no treatment in the past.

In this talk, I will mention about the medical innovation and its global expansion through innovative Cybernic Systems, and the measures to prevent "Frail" in non-medical fields, the independent life support for people with reduced physical function and the labor support, in line with the major theme of this academic meeting "Global Development of Medical and Biological Engineering".The lecture will cover the latest information on various innovative cybernics technologies in the medical, welfare, and living fields including the work environment, such as the vital sensing of human and the labor support using AI-robots.