Japanese Researchers Develop Robotic Tail to Keep Seniors From Falling Over

Researchers at Keio University in Japan have developed and are now testing a robotic tail to help unstable seniors maintain their balance to prevent accidents like stumbling or falling, reports Medical Daily . The one-meter-long Arque device uses four synthetic muscles and compressed air to move in eight directions. The device emulates tails that animals use to keep their balance while running and climbing. The tail is attached to the user's waist, and it "keeps balance like a pendulum," said Keio's Junichi Nabeshima. "When a human tilts their body one way, the tail moves in the opposite direction." Arque is envisioned as a solution for preventing certain kinds of accidents common to seniors in Japan and possibly elsewhere, like slipping and falling down.