Fujita Health University senior assistant professor Yukari Suzuki (L) demonstrates a prototype robot "Patient Transfer Assist" reducing the heavy physical burden of moving patients, developed by Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation during a press preview at a showroom in Tokyo. Toyota Motor held an event to display a number of new robos developed to provide support in nursing and healthcare. AFP PHOTO/KAZUHIRO NOGI
TOKYO – Toyota will start selling robots that help the sick and elderly people walk and balance themselves better, aiming for commercial products sometime after 2013.
Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s biggest automaker, also showed on Tuesday an intelligent machine with padded arms that can help health care workers lift disabled patients from their beds and then carry them around.
Toyota officials said technology for autos such as sensors, motors and computer software are being used in such computerized gadgets to help people get around.