New soldier 'exosuit' creates sharper, stronger fighters
The Army Research Laboratory is testing a new suit with Iron Man like technology to help soldiers carry more weight and think more clearly.
The Army is prototyping a new “exosuit” technology designed to increase mental clarity and reduce musculoskeletal injuries caused by typical combat activity.
The new suit, being developed by the DOD funded Warrior Web program, allows soldiers to march longer, carry heavier gear and improve mental sharpness, an Army statement said.
Scientists and engineers from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have been testing variations of the suit for more than three years at the Soldier Performance and Equipment Advanced Research, or SPEAR, facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
The suit helps prevent muscular strain to soldiers through a system of pulleys and gears, an Army statement said.
"We've been primarily focusing on the physical benefits of these types of suits, but we're also interested in the cognitive benefits," ARL researcher Dr. Angela Boynton said in a written Army statement. "We're hoping that by reducing the physical burden, that they also have the ability to put more energy into other types of tasks that involve cognitive or perceptual workload."
The project is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.