The Master Chief awaits his orders.

[warpedskydiver 0]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/25/sarcos-military-exoskeleton-becomes-a-frightening-reality/

watch the video

Have you been waiting for a legion of half-man, half-machine storm troopers to descend upon your city and blaze a round of hellfire in all general directions? If you said yes, that's kind of weird. At any rate, you can consider yourself one step closer to cyborg annihilation thanks to a company called Sarcos and its semi-scary exoskeleton -- which will make any regular old soldier into a Terminator-like killing machine (as far as we can tell). Sure, they demo the unit lifting heavy equipment and reducing fatigue of the user, but we know what this thing is really for -- and it doesn't involve food drops. Check the video after the break to have your mind shattered into a million delicious pieces.

[Gawain 0]

That is super cool!!!

Anyone read "Starship Troopers" ?

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[diablopilot 2]

Word.


Though I immediately thought of aspects outside of the military application as well.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[StreetScooby 5]

Pretty incredible, even though it's still tethered.

We are all engines of karma

[quade 4]

Sarcos was one of the first prosthetic companies to work with "inverse kinematics". They were doing research into that area as far back as, I recall, the early 80s. The idea is essentially, if you wanted to have a hand reach for a glass of water on a table, how would the ENTIRE body have to shift in order to maintain balance. This concept is now used throughout the entire animation industry. Don't move the individual joints, just the IK handles.

The first time I ever heard of them is when some of the guys at Disney contacted them to work on the programming technology for a new version of Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[skydiver30960 0]

Although published a couple decades after Starship Troopers, the first book that came to my mind was The Forever War. Same idea.

Elvisio "good stuff" Rodriguez

[n23x 0]

It's neat! but,

1.) How much do you think it weighs when the battery runs out and some poor guy has to lug it back. (I can see it's tethered right now, duh.)

2.) How effective is it once one of those joints gets shot out, or gets sand in it?

I bet we'll see it in the field...

in the next decade or so.

.jim

"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Quote

2.) How effective is it once one of those joints gets shot out,...

No less effective than a soldier who gets his knee shot out.

[billvon 3,120]

>the first book that came to my mind was The Forever War.

I think the ultimate "battle suit" story ever was Armor by Steakley. (Also his only good book.)

[ryoder 1,590]

Quote

It's neat! but,

1.) How much do you think it weighs when the battery runs out and some poor guy has to lug it back. (I can see it's tethered right now, duh.)

2.) How effective is it once one of those joints gets shot out, or gets sand in it?

Or when the guy hops out to go take a leak in the ditch, and the suit suddenly straightens up and roars at him:

"PLEASE PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON! YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS TO COMPLY!."

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[n23x 0]

I disagree.

When you're in an emergency situation would you rather be partially disabled, or partially disabled as well as actively hindered by the additional weight/malfunctioning device attached to you?

Regardless, I think the power requirements for such a device places this outside the realm of common use. Tethered operation was neat, though.

Oh well, many of us enjoy funding of this nature, so I won't complain if the man wants to (unsuccessfully) weaponize it.

.jim

"Don't touch my fucking Easter eggs, I'll be back monday." ~JTFC

[Andrewwhyte 1]

I think it will draw a new distinction between light and heavy infantry.
Remember that the soldier does have the option to abandon a piece of equipment whereas he does not have the same option for damaged body parts.