Comments on: Robot suit gives farmers extra strength

By: Technology » High-Tech Exoskeleton Gives Farmers Super Strength

Technology » High-Tech Exoskeleton Gives Farmers Super Strength — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:24:58 +0000

[...] [via Engadget - Japanprobe] [...]

By: Un exoesqueleto robótico para sobrevivir a las penurias... del huerto - Gizmodo ES - The gadgets weblog

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:25:19 +0000

[...] Rafa M. Claudín [Japan Probe] [...]

By: LB

LB — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:36:51 +0000

Indeed. Or tell a Japanese daikon = radish, then let them go to America or Europe and get a “radish” there and see what they think. That is why in America at least, Daikon are sold as “Daikon”, “Daikon radish” or “Japanese radish”, never just “radish”.

But those educated beyond their intelligence may beg to differ…

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:32:10 +0000

I said they are the same. I also said that you can’t just translate ‘daikon’ as radish as it conjures up the wrong image. When translating, you need to be aware of what the audience will imagine, and not just translate technically correctly. In this case, VonSkippy got confused precisely for that reason.

By: jmadsen

jmadsen — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:15:15 +0000

While I don’t know know if this idea is practical or not, the great majority of farm work done on these small- to medium-sized farms is by older people, often retired.

Digging up and pulling up daikon (obviously just one common farm job) is more work than you’d think, especially if you are 60+ years old.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:55:26 +0000

This is actually a classic case of the perils of translation. While a daikon is indeed technically a radish, calling it a radish is going to conjure up entirely the wrong image. We need to consider the imagery and usage of a particular word or phrase. This is why daikon, for example, is best left alone, or given a quick explanatory statement.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:57:32 +0000

Besides, we don’t want our cabbages welded.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 06:20:06 +0000

As usual someone has gone and translated the word ‘daikon’ as ‘radish.’ Yes, daikon are pretty chunky.

By: VonSkippy

VonSkippy — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:26:30 +0000

So are the radishes HUGE in Japan? Elsewhere they’re relatively tiny and pretty much anyone can pick AND lift them without robosuit helping out.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:27:51 +0000

Most large scale crops growing operations are done mechanically anyway. I’d think that this is of more use to very small operations or even home garden purposes. On a large scale this just isn’t practical. Very keen idea though.

By: Grinz

Grinz — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:17:23 +0000

robots would bruise the crops and it would be less expensive to put a dude in a robotic suit with experience that to develop an AI to judge how hard or how soft to pull. It works for cars because, unlike plants, they’re all made of hard materials and identical to each other due to assembly line mass production.

By: tokyojesusfist

tokyojesusfist — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:01:35 +0000

Several powered exoskeletons are being developed in Japan, and the US is working on at least one for military use. Japan is investing heavily into robotics to counter-act the effects of their dwindling population. One application for these exoskeletons is to allow nurses to work more effectively by being able to lift and move patients by themselves.

By: Haf

Haf — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:52:19 +0000

Such a suit has been shown a while ago in a military version.

I wonder what effect wearing the suit for a longer time has on the muscles of the wearer.

Personally I like the suit best that lets people who normally have to use a wheelchair walk again.
I can not image what kind of feeling that must be, even if you have to rely on a machine.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:26:00 +0000

This surely would help the dwindling agricultural community
but, why don’t they just make robots who will do the picking. That would be cool if they use those robots in the Car industry

By: DKO

DKO — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 20:08:43 +0000

I for one welcome our new farmer overlords.