Iron Man Is Another Step Closer To a Reality

arshadk writes with this excerpt from an article at CNN: "Inside a prosthetic shell of metal and hydraulics, Raytheon test engineer Rex Jameson is putting an XOS-2 exoskeleton through its paces. As the crowd watches, Jameson uses his robot hydraulic arm to shadowbox, break three inches of pine boards and toss around 72-pound ammunition cases like a bored contestant on the 'World's Strongest Man.' The suit moves as he moves and amplifies his strength 17-fold. ... Raytheon is seeking to develop the suits to help the US military carry supplies, and claims that one operator in an exoskeleton suit can do the work of two to three soldiers. If all goes as planned, the company hopes to see 'Iron Man' suits deployed in the field by 2015."

Comments

Re:defense spending cuts should be happening

[ScentCone]

The only thing I thought the whole time I watched this is US defense spending is way to over bloated to have this kind of useless spending.

Which means you have absolutely no idea what it costs to recruit, train, field, and retain modern military personnel. If you can deploy three or four fewer people to an airstrip someplace, and unload a bunch of emergency medical supplies in a fraction of the time, you're reducing costs, not adding to them. Of course you know that, and you're just looking for some junior high school level The Military Is Bad No Matter What slashkarma.

Still reckon SWAT will get these first

[Rogerborg]

Do a version with a fuckton of armour and a faggy moustache, kick in the wrong door, and slaughter grandma in her bed with impunity: this thing is perfect for SWAT.