Panasonic Unit to Mass-Produce Assist Suit

Tokyo, Sept. 11 (Jiji Press)--ActiveLink Co., a unit of major Japanese electronics maker Panasonic Corp. <6752>, said Thursday that it aims to start mass-producing its AWN-02 assist suit in fiscal 2015. The device is designed to reduce the physical burden on the user's body when lifting and lowering heavy loads. ActiveLink, based in Nara, western Japan, unveiled the AWN-02 in Tokyo the same day. A motor attached to the suit helps reduce the impact on the lower back when the wearer bends down to lift a load. The AWN-02 weighs about 7 kilograms, much lighter than existing similar products, and is thus easier for women and elderly people to use. At about 500,000 yen, the device is also cheaper than assist suits currently available on the market. "We expect use of the suit at distribution centers and agricultural sites, where the number of aging employees is growing," ActiveLink President Hiromichi Fujimoto said at a press conference. "We hope to make an even lighter version in the future," he added. END