Starting today, Japanese company Cyberdyne will mass-produce its HAL ("Hybrid Assistive Limb") exoskeleton:

The 22-pound battery-operated computer system is belted to the waist. It captures the brain signals and relays them to mechanical leg braces strapped to the thighs and knees, which then provide robotic assistance to people as they walk.

Cyberdyne plans to rent these suits for USD $2,200/month.

For her perspective on this announcement, human-robot interface design, and our future as cyborgs, Nora talked to Quinn Norton. You can listen to their full interview if you download the MP3.

(Cyberdyne announcement via AP)