Military's 'Iron Man' Suit May Be Ready to Test This Summer
The
first prototypes of a high-tech suit of armor to give soldiers
superhuman abilities could be ready to test this summer, according to
top military officials. The suits, which have drawn comparisons to the
one worn by Marvel Comics superhero "Iron Man," could be delivered to
special operations…
Military's 'Iron Man' Suit May Be Ready to Test This Summer
By By Denise Chow, Staff Writer
4 hours ago
The first prototypes of a high-tech suit of armor to give
soldiers superhuman abilities could be ready to test this summer,
according to top military officials. The suits, which have drawn
comparisons to the one worn by Marvel Comics superhero "Iron Man," could
be delivered to special operations forces as early as June.
The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit,
or TALOS, is being developed by engineers at MIT; the U.S. Army
Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM); and researchers
at other businesses and academic institutions. Prototypes of the suit,
which is designed to provide protection from bullets and is equipped
with a variety of sensors and cameras, are being assembled and could be
ready for the military to test in June, reported Military.com.
The TALOS technology will be rigorously tested, and military personnel hope to have operational systems in the field by August 2018, according to Navy Adm. William McRaven, head of the U.S. Special Operations Command. [See video of the military's futuristic TALOS suit]
"That suit, if done correctly, will yield a revolutionary improvement in survivability and capability for special operators," McRaven said at the 25th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict conference this week in Washington, D.C., according to Military.com.
The suit includes features such as 360-degree cameras with built-in night vision capabilities, sensors that can detect injuries and apply wound-sealing foam, and bulletproof armor.
Eventually, the TALOS systems may include full-body exoskeletons complete with screens that display information about a soldier's surroundings, according to Military.com.
The technology could give American soldiers a "huge comparative advantage over our enemies and give our warriors the protection they need," McRaven said.
The TALOS technology will be rigorously tested, and military personnel hope to have operational systems in the field by August 2018, according to Navy Adm. William McRaven, head of the U.S. Special Operations Command. [See video of the military's futuristic TALOS suit]
"That suit, if done correctly, will yield a revolutionary improvement in survivability and capability for special operators," McRaven said at the 25th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict conference this week in Washington, D.C., according to Military.com.
The suit includes features such as 360-degree cameras with built-in night vision capabilities, sensors that can detect injuries and apply wound-sealing foam, and bulletproof armor.
Eventually, the TALOS systems may include full-body exoskeletons complete with screens that display information about a soldier's surroundings, according to Military.com.
The technology could give American soldiers a "huge comparative advantage over our enemies and give our warriors the protection they need," McRaven said.
Government
agencies, corporations, universities and national laboratories are
collaborating on the TALOS project, and the military may explore ways to
distribute prize money as an incentive for others to get involved in
the program, McRaven said.
"We are already seeing astounding results of this collaboration," he added.
The
TALOS project began as a way to explore how technology can be used to
protect special operations officers better in combat zones. "With all
the advances in modern technology, I know we can do better," McRaven
said.
Follow Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
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