Robotic suit could usher in super soldier era

By MARK JEWELL, AP Business Writer, Electronic Devices / Robotics

Software engineer Rex Jameson, wearing a robotic soldier suit being made for the U.S. Army by Raytheon, poses next to a mockup statue of a future soldier on Monday, April 14, 2008, in Salt Lake City. The suit can multiply its wearer's strength and endurance as many as 20 times, with relatively little loss of agility, by sensing and almost instantly amplifying every movement the wearer makes. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

(AP) -- Rex Jameson bikes and swims regularly, and plays tennis and skis when time allows. But the 5-foot-11, 180-pound software engineer is lucky if he presses 200 pounds - that is, until he steps into an "exoskeleton" of aluminum and electronics that multiplies his strength and endurance as many as 20 times.

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Posted by googleplex 05/15/08 14:19

Rank: 4/5 after 2 votes

Here comes iron man....

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Posted by Mercury_01 05/15/08 15:22

Rank: 5/5 after 2 votes

sweet, were almost there. i want o fight a bear in one.

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Posted by thales 05/15/08 15:40

Rank: 4.17/5 after 6 votes

"relax and trust the robot."

Famous last words.

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Posted by mrlewish 05/15/08 15:43

Rank: 3/5 after 3 votes

First you wear the robot. Then the robot wears you.

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Posted by Soylent 05/15/08 23:35

Rank: 4/5 after 1 vote

If we can only figure out how to get enough power density from fuel cells(preferably not hydrogen) it seems like an ideal application for them. Not noisy, high energy density and possible to use indoors without worrying about carbon monoxide, NOx and particulates.

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Posted by Glis 05/16/08 13:59

Rank: 5/5 after 1 vote

He didn't look 'slow' at all in the video. He moved a hell of a lot faster than I expected or even seen in a movie. They didn't demo the strength very well though. Picking up two ammo boxes isn't very impressive. They should have had him doing cooler stuff, like pulling a train or robot humping a washing machine.... or just doing the robot.

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Posted by humanist 05/17/08 13:01

Not rated yet.

Anybody read "Starship Trooper?" (NOT the lame movie..)