Get suit, wear suit, crush all humans

Ok, so Sunday is a slow news day. HAL, the creation of Japanese cybernetics company Cyberdyne, has been around for a while, but it remains one of the cooler pieces of technology on our radar.

And yes, Cyberdyne is the name of the company from the Terminator films, which is either terrifying or awesome depending on your prolectivity for a post-apocalyptic future filled with cyborg killing machines. The more astute of you won’t have missed the fact that HAL is also the name of the computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey, meaning that magnificently the suit ticks two ‘evil machine’ boxes right off the bat.

Anyway, HAL promises to “expand and improve physical capability” by detecting the wearer’s biosignals through the surface of their skin. Cyberdyne envisages the suit being used to help with physical rehabilitation; give mobility to the disabled; and help rescue workers at disaster sites. No mention of Speedball-style cyborg deathsports then.

Which brings us onto our totally random comment-baiting question. From Ripley’s Load Lifter in Aliens to the towering Gundam, robot suits are a sci-fi staple. Which is your favourite?