
Human exoskeletons: full metal jacket - Futurebot
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21684117-battlefield-factory-floor-orthopaedic-clinic-artificial
======
melling
Exoskeletons are covered in this Breakthrough episode:

[http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/breakthrough-
series/vi...](http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/breakthrough-
series/videos/paul-giamatti-on-human-engineering/)

------
hanniabu
Can't wait for somebody to come along with an ingenious solution to the power
problem. I feel like there's a solution in front of us that hasn't been
'discovered' yet.

~~~
NickNameNick
I suspect the biggest part of that will be reducing energy requirements by
using springs, or equivalents.

~~~
thechao
Semipowered and unpowered enhancing prosthesis are very hard to actually
implement. Here's an ARS article about a lab actually succeeding:
[http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/04/an-unpowered-
exoskele...](http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/04/an-unpowered-exoskeleton-
decreases-the-energy-required-for-walking/)

~~~
dogma1138
Allot of the planned exosuits are semi-powered they allow you to carry more
weight buy actually distributing it to the ground through the boots rather
than it having to hang on your shoulders and lower back.

This is effectively lowering the waist suspension belt which is built into
every high weight backpack. Effective weight distribution is just as important
as core strength, a good backpack system with 60kg in it can feel lighter than
a crappy duffle bag across your shoulder.

The system it self can be recharged using the wearer motion to give the
additional speed and strength when needed.

Most combat engagements aren't long the actually power output of the suit will
be concentrated into a few short bursts rather than long active periods (one
of the reasons many prototypes us a capacitor bank rather than a battery).

A suit designed like some of the supercap hybrids (Mazda 6 for example) isn't
that far away and while there are quite a few engineering challenges current
power density isn't a deal breaker. So there's a good chance that the first
deployed suits will be very video game like and will have a cooldown, you need
to jump over a 10ft wall? no problem.. you need to break a door in? easy..
just need to wait a bit before one stunt to another, that's doable, and not a
deal breaker at one any level.

------
FooBarWidget
Exoskeletons is a cool concept, but given all the problems with supplying
power, why would you bother if it's easier to put soldiers in an armored
vehicle?

~~~
tboughen
Vehicles can't enter most buildings and climb stairs.

