US Army to Try Out New, Anime-based Uniforms

PenguinRadio writes "This is being reported in a few places, most notably USA Today which has an article about the US Army teaming up with MIT to develop a new nanotechnology-based outfit for our soldiers that can detect bio hazards, injury, and other funky things. The 5 year, $50 million grant also wants to look at bending light around the uniform to create some sort of invisibility." CNET has another story. The Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies has its own web page, of course.

Comments

Anime?

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmm.. What does Anime have to do with any of this? Are Slashdot editors hoping that female soldiers will be outfitted with scantily-clad, breast-hugging Anime style getups?

Re:Anime?

[Rimbo]

Not only does the picture look like something out of anime, but there's also the issue of the gravity-defying D-cup breasts in the picture, long a staple of anime SF. This artist watched too much Bubblegum Crisis or Ghost in the Shell.

But it brings up an interesting thought sort of in-line with the last line of the C|Net article. Imagine having a troop of women wearing these things dealing with issues in the Middle East, where women are second-class citizens. "Tell me to be subservient now, willya?" blam blam blam... It's no big thing for a woman to be a good fighter to Westerners, but in the Middle East, talk about adding insult to injury... You're not only getting killed, but you're getting killed by seemingly invicible warriors protected by armor and endowed with superhuman abilities, but by squads of seemingly invincible, armored, superhuman women.

Too awesome.

Re:Anime?

[An Onerous Coward]

As someone who has actually been in the Army, this is something we very definitely do not want. Any pleasure derived from seeing certain military type women scantily clad must be weighed against the risk of, well, seeing certain other military type women scantily clad.

In the end, the reward just isn't worth the risk.

re: 5-year MIT program

[bob_clippy]

Supercharged shoes could release energy when soldiers jump, propelling them over a 20-foot wall.

Put me down for $100 on MIT for the 2007 NCAA torney.

Re:How Are These Anime-Based?

[ghostlibrary]

It's anime-like because, in combat, the two sides will simply hang back and stare at each other for a while. Then both will fire off everything they have with explosive fury. When the dust settles... both sides will still be standing, but the collateral damage to the area will be _huge_ and there will be massive civilian casualties.

Oh, wait, that's how modern military actions are now. Alas.

Is this really a good thing

[Spit_Fire1]

Supercharged shoes could release energy when soldiers jump, propelling them over a 20-foot wall.
-What happens after the wall, is there also a parachute, or are you just supposed to land after your 20 foot fall.

Micoreactors could detect bleeding and apply pressure.
-So that the enemies crackers can cut off circulation in battle to help their side

Light-deflecting material could make the suit blend in with surroundings.
-So that the number of soilders hurt or killed by friendly fire increases.

MIT's research centers had been working on nanotechnology ideas long before getting involved with the Army, but not with military applications in mind.
-Isn't that how it always happens, soon the MIT reasercher will make a peace time achievment award.

Re:Power?

[kilroy_hau]

You need to put your SCV's to gather minerals and vespene gas. That's all that's needed, really

Anime = DBZ?

[Havokmon]

Here I thought MIT got $50 million to develop loose t-shirts and excessive narration.

Good news/Bad news

[BluedemonX]

The GOOD news is, every female soldier will now be a 38 DDD.

The bad news is, these suits are NOT proof against suddenly-appearing, demonic phallic tentacles.

What's the difference between... (joke)

[HEbGb]

What's the difference between an MIT mechanical engineer and and MIT civil engineer?

.
.
.
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, and civil engineers build targets.

Ha!