Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 18, 2014 — Toyota Motor Corporation has begun lending its "Walk Training Assist" and "Balance Training Assist" rehabilitation-aid partner robots for clinical trials to be conducted in medical facilities across Japan. The robots are designed to aid the rehabilitation of patients who find it difficult to walk or maintain balance due to illness or injury.

The first of the Walk Training Assist and Balance Training Assist robots to be lent were installed today at the Ukai Rehabilitation Hospital in Aichi Prefecture. In total, 23 Walk Training Assist robots and 21 Balance Training Assist robots are scheduled to be installed at a total of 34 medical facilities.

Development of these robots began at the end of 2007 in collaboration with Fujita Health University Hospital in Toyoake, Aichi Prefecture. Since 2011, Toyota has been working together with medical facilities to complete pilot testing of the robots, and has significantly improved on-site user-friendliness.

The wider-scale clinical trials are aimed to further evaluate the effectiveness of the robots. Toyota is accelerating development of the robots with the aim a commercial launch at the earliest opportunity.

Click here for more information about the rehabilitation-aid partner robots and the facilities scheduled to receive them.