Harvard scientists to build Iron Man-like suit for military
July 26, 2012
The new wearable system would be made from soft, stretchable, assistive devices, which would help improve physical endurance for soldiers in the field (credit: Wyss Institute, Harvard)
Harvard University scientists are working on an Iron Man-like smart suit that could improve soldiers’ endurance in war zones, Network World reports.
The university received a $2.6 million research grant for the project from DARPA.
The suit, which is expected to include sensors and its own energy source, will be designed to delay the onset of fatigue, enabling soldiers to travel further in the field, while also supporting the body and protecting it from injuries when the soldier is carrying heavy loads.
A team of bioengineers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard will work on the project.
The suit is designed to be lightweight, efficient and nonrestrictive, according to Harvard. It will be made from soft, wearable devices that will be connected to stretchable sensors for monitoring the body’s biomechanics.
Another technology that is expected to be part of the suit will produce low-level vibrations that should increase the body’s sensory functions and should give the wearer a better sense of balance.
Comments (22)
by rummel
when the old men do the fighting and the younger men look upon.
by nevergiveup
i have a better idea, lets just not go to war!! BRILLIANT!
by don
Oh, that is a brilliant answer. The problem with your “birilliant’ idea is that war takes two to tango. If the other side is determined for conquest, what are you going to do, surrender?
by Rick
Look at Raytheon’s XOS2. This is an idea we are already working on…..This isn’t NEW.
http://www.RAYTHEON.com/XOS2
by MrUnderhill
Keep in mind DARPA is part of the reason why we have the internet and conspiracies.
by Marcus
So much for creating and preventing strategic “surprise” now everyone knows, besides iron man would kick a suit wearers butt, thank you DARPA once again for some easy money though, very generous of them! :)
by John Connor
Kurzweil is mad! Everything technological is GOOD. People are shooting up movie theaters and schools because civilization drives them INSANE. Trusting in robots is utter madness. The rise of the machines is HERE. We must defend humanity against it. You are either with humanity or AGAINST IT, like crazy Ray.
by David Ish Shalom
The real revolution in robo-war is not robotics to help soldiers in battlefield, but robots to totally replace soldeirs flesh and blood in the buttlefield. Than you get the uttermost benefits tactical and strategy and in the cheapest expenses not only in money but in human life and casualities. Think of it. I am the first one to define the new robotics war strategy to totally replace the soldeirs in the danger zone by warefare robotics. So instead of investing time and resources to help soldiers in danger zones, invest it in improving current robotics to totally replace soldeirs. you are not far from that. The Israeli IDF has already started to adopt my recommendations.
by Peter Simmons
Iron suit? Nothing lighter?
by Scott
So what for military use, my grandma could use this to get around.
by Bri
Power consumption is the main stumbling block. They have much more ambitious plans. Even greater than the exoskeletons. This is for a more immediate deployment. Wars are often won by soldiers moral. Robotic pack animals will carry most of the weight. Fifty caliber sniper rifles will have there own legs soon, and be able to aim themselves. Believe me, you want your soldgers well rested and in good spirits, and you want to break the ” will” of your opponent.
by Ralph Dratman
Use this technology to kill. Of course.
by Gorden Russell
These suits will be ready just in time for our soldiers to return to Afghanistan. But a soldier never gets a break. When the generals see what these suits can do, they’ll just give the troops that much more weight to carry. They’ll take away their .223 carbines and give them .50 cal sniper rifles. If you can carry more weight, then damn-it-all-to-hell you are going to carry more weight!
by Tab Cocovillea
Wouldn’t a sensibly redesigned American foreign policy make more sense? How about stop invading other countries without a formal declaration of war from Congress (as required by the Constitution) for a start.
by melajara
Some potential advertising:
Our technology is very effective against the cowards trying to escape the battlefield.
Don’t worry about shot soldiers, the dead will walk again.
Welcome to the zombie soldier!
by trakk
I suppose the batteries and wiring need to be made from aerographite, to keep this suit as light as possible :)
by John
I read from Raytheon’s website that they had powered exoskeletons.
I hope Harvard can outdo Raytheon.
by GatorALLin
Cool ideas here… Like the idea that your suit could tell you that you were getting dehydrated or poison gas or radiation in the area… Like that this has non military applications as well. I would guess it could even adjust your temperature in hot or cold conditions…. or at least monitor if you were getting frostbite, etc.. so many ways these sensors could help update you with needed info. Cool!
by Peter Simmons
My body usually tells me I’m getting dehydrated, I feel thirst. I think I’d know if I was getting frostbite too.
by guillefix
Yes but this suit could automatically correct the problem before you notice it.
by Keegan
As always, the implication for reduced mobilty suferers is awesome. Plus the applications in construction and other highly physical trades is also very impressive.
by Daniel
So, what would the students at Kent state had delivered to them had they had to face these government killers? Nothing terrifying here since no hand guns are being printed…no worries as these killings would just be in the natural order of things. Perfectly reasonable…technology in the service of mass killings by gov’t thugs is certainly preferable to some individual defending him/herself.