Real ‘Iron Man’ Body Armor?

The U.S. Army is calling on the technology industry, government labs and academia to help build an exoskeleton that would give its troops “superhuman strength.”

“The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (Talos) would have such a frame but would also have layers of smart materials fitted with sensors,” the BBC reports. It would also “need to have wide-area networking and a wearable computer similar to Google Glass,” the Army said.

An MIT team is currently developing liquid body armor made from fluids that become solid when a magnetic field or electrical current is applied to them.

— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

BBC:

It should be made of smart material fitted with sensors to monitor body temperature, heart rate and hydration levels.

The exoskeleton, which could be attached to arms and legs, would be likely to use hydraulics to greatly increase strength.

“The requirement is a comprehensive family of systems in a combat armour suit where we bring together an exoskeleton with innovative armour, displays for power monitoring, health monitoring, and integrating a weapon into that,” said Lt Col Karl Borjes, a science adviser at the US Army’s research, development and engineering command.

“It’s advanced armour. It’s communications, antennas. It’s cognitive performance. It’s sensors, miniature-type circuits. That’s all going to fit in here, too,” he added.

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