Powered exo-skeletons are just about on the cusp of being really useful - and genuinely everyday.
And while the military has a role to play, many of the current advances are being made by companies dedicated to disaster response. That's especially true of Japan, where recent disasters have focused attention on the hazards faced in the aftermath of deadly events like that at Fukushima.
The latest innovate by Cyberdyne (yes, they really have that name) is the Hybrid Assistive Limb work-assist robot suit.
It was developed in the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization's "unmanned anti-disaster system research and development project", and was unveiled at Chiba Institute of Technology's (CIT) Shibazono campus in Narashino City on Wednesday.
The suit is said to enable wearers to lift heavy objects safely in disaster zones. Previous versions have also been used by medical practitioners to help injured people re-learn how to walk.
Take a look at the new version below.