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Policy

US Army Working on Making Armor That Would Give Soldiers "Superhuman Strength"

Matthew Feeney | 10.10.2013 5:56 PM

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(Gage Skidmore/wikimedia)

Reason

The U.S. military is working on developing something similar to (but not nearly as cool as) Tony Stark's Iron Man suit. 

From the BBC:

The US Army is working to develop "revolutionary" smart armour that would give its troops "superhuman strength".

It is calling on the technology industry, government labs and academia to help build the Iron Man-style suit.

Other exoskeletons that allow soldiers to carry large loads much further have already been tested by the army.

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NEXT: Department of the Interior Considering Reopening Some National Parks

Matthew Feeney is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute.

PolicyScience & TechnologyMilitaryTechnology
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  1. Winston   13 years ago

    It's no good without the Super Soldier Serum and Bucky.

    1. Austrian Anarchy   13 years ago

      They call it meth this week. Or bath salts, I forgot which drug week we are in.

  2. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc   13 years ago

    *yawn* Wake me up when the invent the Mobile Infantry suits from Starship Troopers.

    1. Winston   13 years ago

      So does that mean the UED is coming?

      1. darius404   13 years ago

        Uterine Explosive Device? That's a bit drastic for a birth control method, don't you think?

    2. Hugh Akston   13 years ago

      I don't remember those in the movie.

      1. Episiarch   13 years ago

        The Nazi uniform that Doogie Howser wore gives super strength, he just never had any reason to use it.

      2. sarcasmic   13 years ago

        Part Three

      3. Drake   13 years ago

        There was a movie?

        1. darius404   13 years ago

          Sadly, it's never happened. I'm disappointed, just as I was disappointed no sequels were ever made for The Matrix.

          1. Cascadian Ephor Xenocles   13 years ago

            You ever wonder why they never made a movie about a young Obi-Wan?

            1. Generic Stranger   13 years ago

              Or why they left the Indiana Jones series as a trilogy?

    3. Sigivald   13 years ago

      I'm not sure I want Specialists with personal micro-nukes.

      At least not on my home planet.

      The rest of it, sure. Just leave out the "tossing nuclear bombs around like freakin' halloween candy" part.

  3. Fist of Etiquette   13 years ago

    Other exoskeletons that allow soldiers to carry large loads much further have already been tested by the army.

    Get away from her, you BITCH!

    1. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc   13 years ago

      Opening the airlock probably wasn't the best idea.

      1. Episiarch   13 years ago

        Right, right. Somebody said "alien", FoE thought they said "illegal alien", and signed up!

        1. Fist of Etiquette   13 years ago

          They mostly comment at night. Mostly.

          1. Rasilio   13 years ago

            +1 Newt

      2. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc   13 years ago

        Riker: You were right. Somebody blew out the hatch. They were all sucked out into space.

        Data: Correction, sir, that's blown out.

        Riker: Thank you, Data.

        Data: A common mistake, sir

        1. rts   13 years ago

          I thought Data couldn't use contractions?

          1. The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc   13 years ago

            He's like learning and shit.

        2. Eduard van Haalen   13 years ago

          Wait, was that a real joke on Star Trek? Wow.

  4. Dylboz   13 years ago

    Master Chief.

  5. MP   13 years ago

    MATT DAMON

  6. Paul.   13 years ago

    Gundam suits. Can't wait.

    1. wingnutx   13 years ago

      I thought that said "Gundam Sluts" and got all excited.

  7. wingnutx   13 years ago

    Robert Heinlein, call your office.

  8. wingnutx   13 years ago

    OT:

    David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, said "this is the most closed, control freak administration I've ever covered."

    That's pretty strong to be quoted on Huffpo.

    1. Paul.   13 years ago

      This is why Obama wants a Journalist shield law.

    2. Eduard van Haalen   13 years ago

      He's gotta be the first Sanger to say anything sensible.

    3. mad libertarian guy   13 years ago

      My favorite comment:

      I do not blame him everything he does is misrepresented.Even George Bush did not get this kind of scrutiny.

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! The cognitive dissonance this guy demonstrates is enough to power the nation for decades.

  9. Paul.   13 years ago

    WORSE THAN BUSH

    Hehe... hehehehe.... hehehehehehe.... hehehehehehehehehehehe....

  10. Rasilio   13 years ago

    One thing I don't get about this is they are still planning on using Hydraulics. Sure they are a reliable well established technology but they lack rapid response time and are VERY fragile. There have been artificial muscles made from electro-active polymers around for years and with nano technology there is the potential they could be providing superman levels of strength soon without the while problem of the armor becoming a coffin if the fluid reservoir was breached.

  11. WLC   13 years ago

    After they spend a trillion dollars developing it, they'll realize only "prawns" can actually use it.

  12. Invisible Finger   13 years ago

    I guess they aren't getting anywhere on the Superhuman Intelligence projects.

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