Power armour and exoskeletons are a staple in science fiction. They enhance the abilities of futuristic soldiers on the battlefield, giving them an edge against their enemies.
Exoskeletons have appeared in many movies, where the characters equipped with Exo Suits jump incredible heights, punch through doors, and more, which gives them incredible power and freedom of movement on the battlefield. In some movies, heavy-duty exoskeletons called Combat Jackets help soldiers on the ground run faster and carry heavy weapons into battle.
These combat jackets provide both extra strength, some armour and better head protection.
In real life research is very close to those scenes of fiction. In the future neural laces implanted in soldiers’ heads may also links them to one another, making the entire unit a formidable adversary.
Here is a selection of some of the exoskeletons which are reality.
XOS 2 Exoskeleton
This robotic suit can increase the strength, endurance and agility of a human to a certain level where he can be called as a superhuman. The next generation XOS 2 suit is comprised of much lighter material and consume almost half of the energy consumed earlier by its predecessor XOS 1.
XOS 2 works with a combination of controllers and high-end sensors. It features reinforced aluminium and steel which are crucial for performing various tasks. It also uses high-pressure hydraulics to allow its user to lift almost any heavy objects at an amazing ratio of 17:1. With this, humans can lift heavy weights without any exhaustion and injury.
Sarcos Exoskeleton
The Exoskeleton gives the wearer great strength and speed. It make average humans into superheros. With this technology, we could have supersoldiers and imagine what this exoskeleton can do for impaired people.
Warrior Web Exoskeletons
Futuristic exoskeletons will not only protect soldiers but give them augmented strength. DARPA is at work on lightweight exoskeleton technology that can augment their strength and ease the burden of carrying heavy loads over miles. The Warrior Web program, being done in conjunction with the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, is developing a “soft exosuit” that is as unobtrusive as a pair of pants, but capable of monitoring the wearer as well as providing support to prevent injury and assisting the soldier with bearing weight – allowing him to carry more weight over longer distances than a human alone would.
Z-Man – Wall Climbing Technology
Inspired by the way geckos’ feet are able to stick to surfaces for climbing, researchers at the University of Massachusetts have developed a new adhesive they’ve dubbed Geckskin. Geckskin combines soft elastomers, polyurethane or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), with stiff fabrics, like carbon fiber and Kevlar, to create a pad that can adhere to various surfaces, including glass, and still be easily released and leave no residue. Geckskin is now the foundation of DARPA’s Z-Man project, which is looking to create gloves and other fabrics that would allow soldiers to climb surfaces without any additional climbing gear. Early testing of the Z-man system showed that a 16-square-inch sheet of Geckskin could support a static load of 660 pounds while adhered to a vertical glass wall.
Gravity Jet Suit
A 1,050-horsepower flying suit (one of which is developed by Gravity Industries, UK) relies on five mini-jet engines-two each built into units attached to the hands and one built into a backpack. It can achieve speeds of 50 mph. The learning curve is steep. The suits are extremely expensive – up to $440,000-and very loud. Cheaper electric versions are expected.
Gravity suits have potential for specialised combat missions, say, an assault on to a ship. In spite of the wow factor, though, the Gravity suit is not ready for combat yet.
Kevlar and Liquid Armour
An invention that could be implemented both on the battlefield but also for the Police, giving them the best armour possible. The liquid is more resistive than other armour materials, such as Kevlar and metal plates, and at a fraction of the weight. It’s based on a fluid that hardens when pressure is applied onto it (also known as Non-Newtonian Fluid). The advantage of this technology over the materials like Kevlar is that, unlike Kevlar, which is a great bullet stopper, it’s vulnerable to stabs and slower moving objects. The liquid armour does not need the same pressure that Kevlar needs to stop an objective. The molecules lock together and give it extraordinary strength. Bullet and stab proof vests made from Kevlar and liquid armour offer the best protection possible, the combination of these two materials is truly amazing.
X-Flex
Like a bullet proof vest protects the wearer from bullets, the X-Flex fabric protects from bombs and shrapnel. This wallpaper can be put any house and transform it into a bunker that can withstand a bomb blast.
BodyGuard Electro Gauntlet
The BodyGuard electric gauntlet is a great offense and defense weapon, due to its hard outer shell and the possibility of discharging up to 500.000 V. It also features a laser pointer and a video camera so you can review your video of shocking your opponent.
