Some of you may recall our piece on Honda's Body Support Assist prototype last year. As a quick update to that story, those of you in the New York area will get a chance to see it in person as a part of the "Why Design Now?" exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Honda's unique device lightens the load on the user's legs and helps maintain a center of gravity via special mechanisms developed by the company. Walking, crouching, climbing stairs - all become easier with help from Body Support Assist. Needless to say, there are plenty of use cases for such a product, not the least of which would be helping people afflicted with mobility issues or leg problems. Honda has a promo video (included below) demonstrating how the device is worn and operated.

The exhibition will feature a variety of innovations and designs intended to have a positive impact on our world, spanning the fields of engineering, energy, and conservation to name a few. If you can't make it to New York in person, stay tuned to Cooper Hewitt's YouTube channel for updated videos clips featuring smart design.

'Why Design Now?' Event Details:

The show will run from May 14, 2010 to January 9, 2011 at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum on 2 East 91st Street, Manhattan. More information is available via their website,

Source: Honda

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