When most people hear the words "Iron Man," they think of the hit movie. However, those words are taking a whole new meaning to the U.S. Military for protection.
This "Iron Man" suit, otherwise know as The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, would have layers of material and sensors to protect soldiers during combat situations.
Norman Wagner, a professor of chemical engineering at the University
of Delaware, is using nanotechnology to create a liquid-ceramic
material. The moment the fabric is hit with something, like a bullet, it would immediately transform into a much harder
shell for protection.
The suit would be along the lines of an external suit. The U.S. Army said "The suit promises to provide superhuman strength to the wearer."
Aside from strengthening soldiers, the exoskeleton also includes
attachable, hydraulic arms and legs. This will amplify any
motions of the person wearing the suit, including boosts in speed
and mobility.
This suit also helps the soldiers visual capability on the battlefield. This suit includes 360-degree wearing computer so that the solider can look into the corner of the eyepiece and see the enemy's exact location and also provides night-vision.
Furthering the Iron Man similarities, the suit will also have sensors designed to monitor body temperature, heart rate and
hydration levels, providing a detailed and accurate report of the
soldier's health. The researchers behind this creation hope to have it up and working in 3 years. But, until they can figure out all the details, it looks like Hollywood will be the only place with an Iron Man suit.
WOW! The fact that a fictional superhero's suit, which has always been technologically advanced, is now being developed in as little as 3 years, is nothing short of amazing. The capabilities of this suit has only been seen through movies. This real life equipment would make such a huge impact on the soldiers wearing them. The suit will realistically have a lot of "trial and error" phases, but when it is finally completed who will be allowed to wear them? All soldiers, highly ranked soldiers? Like the movie, what if the new technology falls in the wrong hands? This will be very interesting to follow.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Aliyah...WOW! This sounds amazing. I am trying to imagine a real life Iron Man flying around. This idea sounds extremely futuristic but with the way our technology is advancing I wouldn't be surprised if this actually became a reality. Aliyah raised some very important questions that I was wondering as well. This topic will definitely be interesting to see unfold in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with the posts above, this is incredible and really brings comic book heroes to life. It's amazing, and also a little scary, that technology has come this far. Ultimately, I believe that this super suit will benefit the soldiers wearing them by protecting them and giving them an advantage. However, I would also have to agree with the questions Aliyah brings up about the "trial and error" phases but it will be interesting to see what will happen in the future.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually really cool! It's awesome that people are coming up with more and more ideas to protect our troops. I love the idea of a feature being able to track the soldier's health. Technology has come a long way, even in just this past year. It will be very exciting to see what ends up happening with this. Think about it, if this kind of thing is capable of being created, what else does the future of technology have in store for us? Along with this being a great thing for the soldiers, it will also push the limits of technology and see what it can do. I can't wait to see what happens!
ReplyDeleteAwesome concept. Its great to know that these computer generated products are being brought to live to potentially save lives. These men and women put their lives on the line for us they deserve the best protection. Its crazy to think about what they will develop from this and to see the changes that occur in the future with constantly changing technology!
ReplyDeleteI think it was only a matter of time before this concept came about. Now that it's finally here I can't wait until the finished product is released. I wonder how much will actually be taken from the "Iron Man " original idea. I mean obviously the movie uses a lot of advanced technology but I'm sure we have something that can make this idea come to life.
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