Exoskeleton market to grow to 3 billion yen in 2010

Market research firm Fuji-Keizai predicts that the Japanese market for exoskeletons - which are called  "robot suits" or "powered suits" in Japan - will grow from zero in 2006 to 3 billion yen (about $ 25 million) in 2010, according to its most recent report on the robotics market.

This is based on the fact that companies that are developing the exoskeletons - namely CYBERDYNE and Active Link - are preparing to start manufacturing their products soon.

CYBERDYNE was founded by Prof. Yoshiyuki Sankai of the University of Tsukuba. The company is building a plant in Tsukuba that will have the capacity to manufacture 500 robot suits per year. The construction of the factory will start in late November and is scheduled to be complete by next May.

Active Link is a spin-off of Panasonic, which is reportedly planning to start selling its exoskeletons in 2008.

The exoskeletons will account for almost half of the total market for household and service robots in Japan in 2010, according to Fuji-Keizai's forecast.