Exoskeletons to see use soon

[King of the Wastes]

postapocalypticearth.blogspot.com/2011/03/exoskeletons-will-see-combat-by-end-of.html

[vault72]

Actually they currently have field testing in the Afghanistan theater for an exoskeleton. You can see here:

singularityhub.com/2010/07/28/armys-hulc-exoskeleton-to-test-at-end-of-2010-hints-at-industrialmedical-uses/

[King of the Wastes]

Well i think I need to update the post then. I didn't find that one, should have looked around more.

[vault72]

We could go in on some of these posts, give me a topic and I will find some info on it for you and then you can write it up and post it, like a research assistant

[King of the Wastes]

That might work.

[imperator03]

Kinda makes you wonder how long it will be before we have real mechs.

[King of the Wastes]

Within this century, I am sure that not long after exoskeletons come out for public use powered armors will come out for the military. The exoskeleton is the skeleton basically for the armor after all.

[imperator03]

Mar 3, 2011 22:42:29 GMT -5 King of the Wastes said:

Within this century, I am sure that not long after exoskeletons come out for public use powered armors will come out for the military. The exoskeleton is the skeleton basically for the armor after all.

Power is going to be the real issue. Unless they can mount armor like a tank, they won't be replacing tanks anytime soon.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/10385853
www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2008-12/machine-might-save-world

The interesting part of this to me is that the fusion field is looking much more like the automotive field did in the early 20th century rather than the government backed Manhattan project in the 1940's. Which is as it should be.

[King of the Wastes]

What is needed is more efficient batteries and solar tech, and armor that can absorb sunlight to and provide protection would be a big help. Or make it so that each soldier can recharge it with a foldaway solar panel that is lightweight and can generate good amounts of energy.

[imperator03]

Mar 3, 2011 23:09:31 GMT -5 King of the Wastes said:

What is needed is more efficient batteries and solar tech, and armor that can absorb sunlight to and provide protection would be a big help. Or make it so that each soldier can recharge it with a foldaway solar panel that is lightweight and can generate good amounts of energy.

Except that puts the kibosh on night attacks. Since the development of night vision tech, the US has relied heavily on night attacks. I'm not sure that solar is a good tech to use, the output you get is far too low. Even solar enabled houses need special appliances or need to be hooked up to the grid for solar down times.

[King of the Wastes]

They want the exoskeleton's batteries to be very efficient. With a 72 hour battery life. Solar technologies keep advancing more and more each year, and while it wouldn't be the main source of power it could help to give it a long battery length for out in the field. Meaning longer amounts of time that it can be used, also if they like doing night attacks then there shouldn't be a problem. Just let it charge during the day, and have it nice and ready when it's time to go.

[imperator03]

Mar 3, 2011 23:33:41 GMT -5 King of the Wastes said:

They want the exoskeleton's batteries to be very efficient. With a 72 hour battery life. Solar technologies keep advancing more and more each year, and while it wouldn't be the main source of power it could help to give it a long battery length for out in the field. Meaning longer amounts of time that it can be used, also if they like doing night attacks then there shouldn't be a problem. Just let it charge during the day, and have it nice and ready when it's time to go.

Ah, but consider things like sensors, weapons like railguns and other energy intensive applications. All that takes power and the last thing you want is some low-tech raider attacking you while your power armor is juicing up.

[King of the Wastes]

Maybe, but that's why I said the armor should have solar collecting properties as well. With hope though there will be other technologies to help with the energy problem.

[imperator03]

Mar 3, 2011 23:41:24 GMT -5 King of the Wastes said:

Maybe, but that's why I said the armor should have solar collecting properties as well. With hope though there will be other technologies to help with the energy problem.

Don't worry about it, I read a lot of sci-fi and futurist stuff from guys like Ray Kurzweil, so I spend the odd moment or two thinking about this stuff. I have no idea about the particulars of how they would go about doing something, but I seem to have a knack at breaking problems down into components.

[vault72]

Well guys there may be hope for your battery queries after all, they could coat the mech in this stuff and use the entire skin of the mech as a battery:

www.newscientist.com/article/mg13117861.400-technology-plant-power-inspires-molecular-battery-.html

or:

www.popsci.com/diy/article/2009-03/penny-wise-solar-power

Here is gen 2 of the exoskeleton, more powerful and smaller:

www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-09/real-life-iron-man-suit-gets-sequel

Of course the exoskeleton could just become something more cost effective and simplier in order to issue it out to all combat troops versus making a new category such as this tested exo model for the military:

www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2008-04/building-real-iron-man?page=4

Or it could be powered by running these ultracapacitors in tandem:

www.popsci.com/science/article/2009-12/panasonic-will-market-li-ion-storage-battery-home-use-2011

Have fun with this stuff