The Hybrid Assistive Limb (also known as HAL) is a powered, soft-bodied exoskeleton suit developed by Japan's Tsukuba University and the robotics company Cyberdyne.

In 2011, Cyberdyne and Tsukuba University jointly announced that hospital trials of the full HAL suit would begin in 2012, with tests to continue until 2014 or 2015.

[2] In December 2012, Cyberdyne was certified ISO 13485 – an international quality standard for design and manufacture of medical devices – by Underwriters Laboratories.

[14] HAL is designed to assist people who are disabled or elderly in their daily tasks, but can also be used to support workers with physically demanding jobs such as disaster rescue or construction.

In addition, scientific studies have shown that, in combination with specially-created therapeutic games, powered exoskeletons like the HAL-5 can stimulate cognitive activities and help disabled children walk while playing.

[17] During the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, it was announced that the United States government had expressed interest in purchasing HAL suits.

[20] During the Japan Robot Week exhibition in Tokyo in October 2012, a redesigned version of HAL was presented, designed specifically for the Fukushima cleanup.