The Professionals S2015E02 - Cyborgs: A Future of Hope - Yoshiyuki Sankai, Robot Researcher

Robot researcher Yoshiyuki Sankai created the world's first cyborg-style robot. The robot reads electrical signals sent by the brain when it wants to move a muscle and interprets them as an instruction to move. The robot can instantly carry out the kinds of complex movements made by human beings, and it's attracting a lot of attention as a tool for physiotherapy. For those with spinal injuries or stroke-related paralysis, wearing Sankai's robot can restore a sense of moving one's own limbs, which can, in turn, help to improve nerve function, even in cases where physical recovery was previously considered impossible. Sankai is sensitive to the feelings of patients and their families, people struggling in difficult circumstances. His robot technology has evolved to work together with those who need it. It's this feeling factor that lies behind Sankai's technological breakthroughs.

Sankai says, "I believe that the desire to help others is what drives technical evolution. Every person's life has an end. There's a time limit. That means we have to keep striving for faster progress. I want to keep going for as long as I can".