Working with a $2.6 million grant from DARPA’s Warrior Web Program, the Harvard researchers have been developing their suit as a way to give soldiers enhanced stamina in the field. Using a series of air bladders and engineered fabrics to strengthen, support, and assist muscles, the 17-pound suit—not including the air pump backpack—can actually make a soldier about three times as strong. However, there are no rigid parts to strengthen bones, so lifting something extremely heavy would still be dangerous.
But as a way to help a soldier march longer and farther, even over challenging terrain, the suit could one day be perfected to the point where it could be worn under a standard uniform, only coming to life as it was needed.
via Gizmodo
