Mitsui, Japan's number one oil and mining corporation, announced recently that it plans to develop real-life versions of Ripley's Power Loader from "Aliens."
The device, known as the Assist Suit AWN-03, was developed by ActiveLink and Panasonic. It comprises of a 13-pound backpack outfitted with leg supports that allows its wearer to lift up to 33 pounds without any particular effort. By adding mechanical arms and legs to the base design, the company plans to expand the pack's capabilities within the next two years, thus creating an actual power loader, according to Softpedia.
A company representative made it no secret that the company was inspired by James Cameron's invention.
"What we have in mind is the Aliens power loader," Tomoya Tsutsumi, an official at Mitsui's construction and industrial machinery division, said during a demonstration of the AWN-03 in Tokyo earlier this week, according to Engadget.
The company hopes to sell at least 1,000 units of the AWN-03 in its first year of production. Besides Mitsui, Kajima Corp. and Yamato Holdings have already expressed interest in using the device.
Check out a version of another Power Loader in action in the video below:
