US Army Tests Super Strong Exoskeleton

[dochmbi]

Maximum strength, maximum armor, maximum speed...

 

[Cowabungaa]

Does no-one else find it disturbing that a company called Cyberdyne, mentioned several times on this thread, are building robotic exoskeletons? When they build robot soldiers, I'm running.

Not to mention the existence of Skynet. [http://gizmodo.com/5016312/britain-launches-final-real+life-skynet-satellite-dubs-it-skynet-with-no-sense-of-irony]

It's like they're torturing us on purpose!

 

[Digikid]

Old news. I saw that video MONTHS ago.

Interesting step in the right direction though.

 

[Archemetis]

I think it's fantastic that likely millions of dollars are being spent on robots that carry things while the person wearing it gets to rest up for a long day of shooting people...

Y'know because a pair of exoskeletal power-lifting legs wouldn't be useful anywhere else but the battlefield...

Or that robotic headless donkey that sounds like a bee trapped in a tin of beans... I'm sure that couldn't be used anywhere but a war-situation.

What's the likelihood that after a few years of implementing this technology into a battle situation that the people killed wearing them are looted and the technology is then replicated?

Also, I'm not sure how battlefield tactics work, but what mission exactly would call for a lone solider running up a mountain just to take his 200lb backpack somewhere?

Never mind that there are plenty of civilians who need assistance to walk or anything, no! As long as that one soldier can carry his backpack up a mountain it's all worth it!

 

[Jack_Uzi]

Nice technology. Now that we are already busy making cool stuff, could we put the time and efford for these kind of things in something like treating cancer or something?
These kind of things really freak me out for some reason.

 

[ZephrC]

Also, I'm not sure how battlefield tactics work, but what mission exactly would call for a lone solider running up a mountain just to take his 200lb backpack somewhere?

The kind of tactics were the reinforcement bringing in supplies are at the bottom of the hill while the battle is at the top?

 

[johnman]

It's a nice step, but I can't help but feel as though just taking some time to revamp the army physical fitness programs to the point that soldiers are able to carry the loads themselves would be the first step here.

You can be the fittest man in the world but not be able to carry those kind of loads. I just came off a cadet weekend, carrying only my rifle, webbing and 2 days worth of supplies and it was still fairly heavy. Now add body armour (11 Kg by itself), mags and ammo, maybe a couple of grenades, a few belts of MG ammo and a few mortar rounds, radios plus enough provisions to keep you alive for a few days. Now carry all that around in an enviroment like Iraq.

Also, I'm not sure how battlefield tactics work, but what mission exactly would call for a lone solider running up a mountain just to take his 200lb backpack somewhere?

I can think of a couple just off the top of my head. A real life example is where an SBS team had to travel high up into the Afgan mountain ranges to gather intelligence. They barely made it to the top since they had to carrying so much kit and almost died of dehydration due to the fact that they couldn't take enough water with them and couldn't risk resupplying due to the area crawling with enemy fighters.

Its also great for humanitarian missions, where a single platoon can carry a massive amount of food or water to isolated areas after an earth quake or somthing

 

[johnman]

Slap some torso enhancers on there and you get:

I want one.

Stalker exo in Fallout 3? What mod is that from?

 

[LastCelt1989]

Speaking from experience, the main problem in Afghanistan is that we simply have too much kit to carry. When we are trying to move around quickly and nimble carrying, ammo, water,ECM,food, armour, radios, helmets and whatever else whilst fighting the taliban who has his rifle, a few puches of ammo and his village robes (dish-dash). He can quite easily fire off a few pot shots before melting away either into the wider population or into the mountains. Maybe he will hit a soldier maybe he wont but if he tries enough times then he will hit someone eventually. And thats all the taliban need to do. And they know it.

Sorry, went off on a bit of a tangent lol. Stuff like this is a step in the right direction as it addresses the issue of load carrying but at the end of the day it is still solving the issue of too much kit with the old solution, i.e. more kit.
I think it would be a lot better off spending this money on making versatile and multi-use vehicles that u can literally chuck your kit onto and just keep the your armour and weapon on you.

 

[Thedutchjelle]

I'm glad I'm not the only one here who dislikes the use of these things for the military.

The guys in the video don't even mention anything civilians might use these things for.

Why don't you like the idea of these being used in the military?

Because instead of using money and scientists to help humanity and make the world a better place, it's being invested in the military. If the people who made this thing would team up with the scientist who are working on prosthetic limbs and neural interfaces, you can make disabled people walk and move again.

The technology of these suits will probably be within grasp of civilians at one point, but until then, meh.

 

[Archemetis]

The kind of tactics were the reinforcement bringing in supplies are at the bottom of the hill while the battle is at the top?

I can think of a couple just off the top of my head. A real life example is where an SBS team had to travel high up into the Afgan mountain ranges to gather intelligence. They barely made it to the top since they had to carrying so much kit and almost died of dehydration due to the fact that they couldn't take enough water with them and couldn't risk resupplying due to the area crawling with enemy fighters.

Its also great for humanitarian missions, where a single platoon can carry a massive amount of food or water to isolated areas after an earth quake or somthing

These don't sound like single man efforts.
But then again, like I said, I don't pretend to know any form of battlefield strategy.

 

[johnman]

These don't sound like single man efforts.
But then again, like I said, I don't pretend to know any form of battlefield strategy.

The more kit a solider can carry they less support they will require and the longer their oprational window will be. It applies to pretty much everything

 

[ZephrC]

These don't sound like single man efforts.
But then again, like I said, I don't pretend to know any form of battlefield strategy.

So if they only make one of these things it won't be very useful. So?

 

[Archemetis]

So if they only make one of these things it won't be very useful. So?

I know that making only one of things is a pointless thing to do.
But what I asked was what was the tactical benefit of a single soldier being able to carry his backpack up a mountain, as a counter argument I got two examples of what a squad of people could do with these things, thus not really answering my question.

The more kit a solider can carry they less support they will require and the longer their oprational window will be. It applies to pretty much everything

Ok, that makes sense and I get that.
Also, I thought what you said about the humanitarian missions made so much sense, there is practical use for these things in that sense.

As a point, I get that reducing the amount of energy a soldier loses in carrying his own equipment is important, but surely wouldn't the main focus of something like that be to reduce the overall weight he's carrying? I'm not suggesting losing any of his supplies but maybe creating a way that his gear doesn't weigh quite as much?

Instead of using up what I can assume is a sizeable amount of money on robotic legs...

Just seems they could have used the money on creating something to maintain a soldiers safety, like improved protection against projectiles or explosive damage?

So far a pair of exposed robo-legs doesn't seem like it solves the problem as much as presents a whole load of new ones.

If they needed supplies carried up a mountain that badly without causing any amount of soldiers fatigue wouldn't they be better off creating some kind of vehicle for that purpose?

Or y'know, that 'robotic-donkey' I mentioned?

 

[ZephrC]

So if they only make one of these things it won't be very useful. So?

I know that making only one of things is a pointless thing to do.
But what I asked was what was the tactical benefit of a single soldier being able to carry his backpack up a mountain, as a counter argument I got two examples of what a squad of people could do with these things, thus not really answering my question.

The more kit a solider can carry they less support they will require and the longer their oprational window will be. It applies to pretty much everything

Ok, that makes sense and I get that.
Also, I thought what you said about the humanitarian missions made so much sense, there is practical use for these things in that sense.

As a point, I get that reducing the amount of energy a soldier loses in carrying his own equipment is important, but surely wouldn't the main focus of something like that be to reduce the overall weight he's carrying? I'm not suggesting losing any of his supplies but maybe creating a way that his gear doesn't weigh quite as much?

Instead of using up what I can assume is a sizeable amount of money on robotic legs...

Just seems they could have used the money on creating something to maintain a soldiers safety, like improved protection against projectiles or explosive damage?

So far a pair of exposed robo-legs doesn't seem like it solves the problem as much as presents a whole load of new ones.

If they needed supplies carried up a mountain that badly without causing any amount of soldiers fatigue wouldn't they be better off creating some kind of vehicle for that purpose?

Or y'know, that 'robotic-donkey' I mentioned?

It's easy to forget this when playing video games, but bullets are really, really heavy while carrying them by the hundred. Trust me, the army does everything they can to lighten soldiers loads, but that also shortens the amount of time they're effective. Even just having one person per unit with something like this that could carry spare ammo for everyone else would be incredibly useful. And that's not counting things that soldiers operating away from a resupply might need. You know, things like food and water that are also very heavy when you carry lots.

 

[Archemetis]

So if they only make one of these things it won't be very useful. So?

I know that making only one of things is a pointless thing to do.
But what I asked was what was the tactical benefit of a single soldier being able to carry his backpack up a mountain, as a counter argument I got two examples of what a squad of people could do with these things, thus not really answering my question.

The more kit a solider can carry they less support they will require and the longer their oprational window will be. It applies to pretty much everything

Ok, that makes sense and I get that.
Also, I thought what you said about the humanitarian missions made so much sense, there is practical use for these things in that sense.

As a point, I get that reducing the amount of energy a soldier loses in carrying his own equipment is important, but surely wouldn't the main focus of something like that be to reduce the overall weight he's carrying? I'm not suggesting losing any of his supplies but maybe creating a way that his gear doesn't weigh quite as much?

Instead of using up what I can assume is a sizeable amount of money on robotic legs...

Just seems they could have used the money on creating something to maintain a soldiers safety, like improved protection against projectiles or explosive damage?

So far a pair of exposed robo-legs doesn't seem like it solves the problem as much as presents a whole load of new ones.

If they needed supplies carried up a mountain that badly without causing any amount of soldiers fatigue wouldn't they be better off creating some kind of vehicle for that purpose?

Or y'know, that 'robotic-donkey' I mentioned?

It's easy to forget this when playing video games, but bullets are really, really heavy while carrying them by the hundred. Trust me, the army does everything they can to lighten soldiers loads, but that also shortens the amount of time they're effective. Even just having one person per unit with something like this that could carry spare ammo for everyone else would be incredibly useful. And that's not counting things that soldiers operating away from a resupply might need. You know, things like food and water that are also very heavy when you carry lots.

Well all right then, now I see the benefit, thanks for that.

 

[Peace Frog]

Hell, it's about time.

 

[UberNoodle]

A. The exoskeleton is so soldiers can carry equipment in mountainous and rough terrains like those in Afgahnistan. Right now they use mules, horses, and helicopters to move supplies. It isn't combat armor, it's an assistant in moving things.

B. The military sector has more money.

C. Does that company Cyberdyne have any contracts with the government?

a) Yes, that's what the article says, does it not?

b) Yes it does, in some countries, like the USA, the military is king.

c) Cyberdyne may have military contracts but their site and informational material appears solely for uses in industry, for aged care and for work in hazardous environments. Japan has a Self Defense Force but because it constitutionally cannot wage war, I don't think that military spending is anywhere near as big a concern there.

 

[UberNoodle]

I wish they would apply this to people with disabilities. It would help improve a lot of lives.

Also, it would make working with heavy objects a lot easier.

See the Japanese exo from the company Cyberdyne. Page 2 of this thread. I can see such products being available in the future, perhaps for extreme cases or for rental. There was a time when wheelchairs were extortionatly priced. Maybe they still are.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Am I the only one who is against all of these things made by the military? Yes, I can see it's uses for other things rather than the military, but that's the thing, it's prime use will be for that: soldiers.

All the technology we have right now is because of the military.

And I am conscious of that. But what I'm against is that these companies are wasting a whole lot of money for making more ways on to how to kill people while getting a whole lot more richer than rather help the civilians. That is what has been bothering me about these military projects.

That's how humanity evolves, if not for strife there would be no innovation.