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An artificial powered exoskeleton is a self-powered exoskeleton typically intended for use by humans in battle, construction and survival in dangerous environments.

The United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and other organizations have researched exoskeletons for combat for decades, but progress has been limited and the actual utility of such systems in combat is still debated.

In the early 2000s a number of companies and research centres developed the first practical models of human exoskeletons. One of the main uses is enabling a soldier to carry heavy weights (50–100 kg) while running or climbing stairs. Most models use a hydraulic system controlled by an on-board computer. They can be powered by an internal combustion engine, batteries or, potentially, fuel cells. Another area of application is medical care, nursing in particular. Faced with the impending shortage of medical professionals and the increasing number of people in elderly care, several teams of Japanese engineers have developed exoskeletons designed to help nurses lift and carry patients.

Exoskeletons can also be applied in the area of rehabilitation of stroke or SCI patients. An exo-skeleton could reduce the number of therapists needed by allowing even the most impaired patient to be trained by one therapist, whereas now several are needed. Also training is more uniform, easier to analyse retrospectively and can be specifically customized for each patient. At this time there are several projects designing training aids for rehabilitations centres (LOPES exoskeleton, LOKOMAT and the gait trainer).

Future speculation

Many expect exoskeletons to become widely used in the future by the military and police, and later by civilians as the technology becomes cheaper. However exoskeletons may have to compete for adoption with cybernetics - enhancing the human body itself with implants and prosthetics. But advances in this field may also help exoskeletal research, in that direct links to the nervous system may be possible, meaning the mechanical parts may be considered part of the body, creating more fluent movement. They may also benefit people who have been disabled by crippling diseases like ALS and multiple sclerosis.

Powered armor and other combat applications in fiction

In most portrayals of powered armor, the suit is usually not much larger than a human. In fact, it is more accurately described as a battlesuit with mechanical and electronic mechanisms designed to augment the wearer's abilities. In addition to the benefits provided by the exoskeleton, other popular features include internal life support for hostile environments, protection from environmental hazards such as radiation and vacuum, weapons targeting systems, firearms affixed directly to the suit itself, and transportation mechanisms that allow the wearer to fly, make giant leaps, or speed by on ground.

All of these systems are usually powered by some on-board, self-sufficient power source. Masamune Shirow's Landmates in Appleseed used simple internal combustion engines installed into the thigh assembly of the armor. Still, more fantastic power sources have been introduced, for example, in Halo and Halo 2, the Master Chief's MJOLNIR armor is powered by miniaturized fusion power reactors. In Privateer Press' Iron Kingdoms setting, a steam boiler powers an arcane conversion engine, which ultimately powers the suit. Similarly, in The Spirits Within, the suits are powered by single-celled organisms cultured in Ovo Packs.

Not all sci-fi exoskeletons are mechanical, as modification of biological systems can produce similar strength, such as the Skin exoskeleton in Peter F. Hamilton's novel Fallen Dragon, Jim Shooter's X-O Manowar comic book, and the Guyver Japanese animation series.

The first citable examples of powered suits were the Fat Man underwater suits (with mechanical pantograph arms and a propulsion system), which debuted in Tom Swift and His Jetmarine (1954). The powered suit of Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel Starship Troopers can be seen as spawning the entire sub-genre concept of military "powered armor". A Japanese animated version of Starship Troopers was produced by Sunrise with mechanical designs by Studio Nue, which presented a reasonable visual portrayal of how the suit operated (although the OAV story differed greatly from the Heinlein novel).

Science fiction authors utilize the idea of personal self-powered exoskeletons, usually referred to as powered armor or more commonly power armor. They are often robotic in nature. Examples include:

In literature

  • The novel Starship Troopers details the tactics involved with powered armor. It was also apparently the first work of fiction that widely popularized the concept.
  • Standard issue battle armor in Joe Haldeman's book The Forever War is an exoskeleton using logarithmic force amplification.
  • The security troops of the interstellar company Zantiu-Braun are described as wearing biological "Skin" armour in Peter Hamilton's novel Fallen Dragon.
  • Very advanced suits based on nanotechnology and a very advanced computer assistance system are depicted in Legacy of the Alldenata by John Ringo.
  • Armor by John Steakley is a very good example of powered battle armor.
  • In Vay, an alien, exoskeletal suit of armor is the focal point of the game.

In comics and manga

In television and film

In animation

  • In the American action cartoon series Centurions, the Centurions used a uniform like powered exoframes with several hard points, which enabled them to be with merged with multiple weapon systems.
  • Exoskeletal vehicles named "E-frames" were one of the central aspects of the American animated television series Exosquad.
  • Exoskeletal suits named "EMACS" (Energized Monster Armed Containment Suit) or simply power suits were a standard weapon in the animated cartoon series Monster Force.
  • Many Japanese animation featuring mechanical objects also have humans controlling gigantic exo-skeletons, such as The Vision of Escaflowne, Bubblegum Crisis,Gundam or Stand Alone Complex. Although many of these are not exactly exoskeletons because of their non-humanoid forms, the main principle is identical. (See below.)

In Mecha

Japanese animation (anime) and comics (manga) often feature powered armor in the mecha subgenre; both the subgenre and the suits are called "mecha". Most mecha are not human-enhancing exoskeletons so much as human-operated robots. The distinction between smaller mecha and their smaller cousins (and likely progenitors), the powered armor suits, is blurred; according to one definition, a mecha is piloted while a powered armor is worn. Anything large enough to have a cockpit where the pilot is seated is generally considered a mecha. Both Masamune Shirow's "Landmates" featured prominently in Appleseed and the form-fitting "Hardsuits" of Bubblegum Crisis are examples of powered armor that is worn. Conversely, the "Armored Trooper" of Armored Trooper VOTOMS are an example of piloted powered armor-sized mecha.

In Video Games

  • In Strike Force Centauri, a 1st person tactical game by Looking Glass Studios, powered armor is the centerpiece, featuring many types of powered armor and loadout combinations. Among those found in electronic games, Terra Nova's powered armor suits are also the ones most similar to the drop suits and powered armor found in Robert Heinlein's novel, Starship Troopers.
  • Gordon Freeman's Hazardous Environment (HEV) Suit from Half-Life and Half-Life 2 is an exoskeleton originally designed for working with hazardous materials, exploration and possibly combat due its projectile resistant active armour and weapons recognition systems.
  • The Half-life expansion pack Opposing force featured Adrian Shephard of the HECU wearing a power vest, powered armour designed as a high tech bullet proof vest to absorb the damage of attacks. It is assumed that in the story context this is a new or newly mainstream technology funded by the government for the military.
  • The Half-Life mod known as Natural Selection features a full armor suit, an advanced technology that Marines can acquire, which absorbs much damage for the wearer, is powered so the wearer maintains agility almost equal to an unencumbered person, and can be repaired when damaged.
  • The Half-Life 2 mod known as Dystopia features power armor for its Medium class, and complete exoskeletons for its Heavy class. Additionally, all classes can equip themselves with "leg boosters", which increase jump height and brace against high falls.
  • In Deus Ex, the Majestic 12 Commando units wear power armor (dubbed 'obsidian' armor by their creators) that is outfitted with two 7.62 mm machineguns and two rocket launchers.
  • In Invisible War, the Invisible War characters#The Knights Templar Paladins wear Power Armour to combat their biomodified foes.
  • Samus Aran from the Metroid series of video games wears an exoskeleton, the Power Suit designed by the Chozo and enhanced with an attached arm cannon, which grants her the ability to roll into a ball around 1 meter in diameter and/or perform very high spinning jumps. In addition, it allows her to survive almost indefinitely underwater, as well as in the vacuum of space. The suit is modular in design, allowing the incorporation of additional weapons detection equipment, movement enhancements, and protective shielding.
  • The Fallout computer role-playing game series is notable for its use of powered armors in retro-'50s style. It increases strength, such as the exoskeleton intended to do so in real life and has a counterpart which is more powerful than it, Advanced Power Armor. It is powered by a Micro-Fusion reactor. Power Armor in Fallout was the strongest armor, getting it ensured increased damage resistance and radiation/poison resistance. It weighed 85 pounds, though.
  • Warriors in the Tribes series have access to several types of powered armor.
  • The super-soldier Master Chief in the video game series Combat Evolved is clad in energy-shielded and strength-enhancing armored suit weighing nearly one thousand pounds, called the MJOLNIR battle armor, that can allow him to turn over armored vehicles, quickly dispatch foes in melee combat, and house starship-grade AI to allow him to override enemy electronic defenses. The character is so heavily associated with the suit that he is never depicted outside of the armor, though at both the end of Halo and the start of Halo 2, the Master Chief is helmetless, with his head offscreen.
  • Also, the Clone Commandos in Republic Commando sport a version of powered armor (though it is more armor than power).
  • Exoskeletons have surfaced in many other video games. Some examples would be certain marines from The Awakening and MAX Units from PlanetSide.
  • Terran Marines from the game StarCraft wear powerful suits of power armor for protection. It allows both space and ground operations.
  • After extensive research, troops in the computer game X-Com have access to power armor that allows damage resistance and flight.
  • In the mmorpg Neocron 2 high level players have access to several types of power armor.
  • In the video game series Metal Gear Solid, the character Cyborg Ninja (Gray Fox) possesses a powerful exoskeleton which has stealth camouflage. Solidus in MSG2 and Raiden in MGS4 apparently use an exoskeleton as well. Not to mention the Metal Gear themselves, which could be considered an exoskeleton (mecha).
  • In video games like Quake 4, Doom 3 and Space Hulk the fictional Space Marines wear power armour to withstand superior enemy alien projectiles.
  • In Eugen System's RTS Direct Action, Task Force Talon's signature unit is the SHIELD Unit (Super High Infantry ELectronic Defense Unit), which is a powered armor combat exoskeleton outfitted with a GAU-19 20 mm Vulcan Cannon and a Javelin Missile Launcher. These units have medium armor and used mostly as fast hit-and-run raiders that can take down helicopters in large groups, but do not fare too well against tanks and heavy artillery. They can be upgraded with a milimetric radar system to allow their pilots to detect stealth units.
  • Monolith Productions' first-person shooter F.E.A.R features an exoskeleton named the R.E.V.E. Power Armor. Arguably one of the game's most dangerous enemies, the R.E.V.E. is heavily armored and wields powerful weaponry such as rocket launchers and laser cannons, yet is almost as fast and manueverable as a standard human soldier.

In other media

  • In the Battletech universe, genetically engineered Clan soldiers are bred for strength and other qualities to wear Elemental powered armor. Elemental armor also provides advanced medical technologies to keep the wearer alive in case of severe injury or trauma during combat. Following the Clan Invasion, many other governments began to deploy Battle Armoured suits, but often of lesser quality then the original Elemental Armour.
  • Powered armor is heavily used in science fiction role-playing games, such as Rifts, to allow weak and mundane humans to compete in combat with supernatural and super-powerful adversaries. Two common examples of Powered Armor (or just Power Armor) in that series are the 10 foot Glitter Boy, which is covered in a coat of mirror-like, laser-resistant alloys; and the jet flight capable Strategic Armor Military Assault Suit (commonly called the SAMAS or Sam).
  • Games Workshop´s science fiction world Warhammer 40,000 includes Space Marines who wear ancient powered armors that are revered to the point of worship, so precious is their lost technology. Recently, Games Workshop created the Tau Race, which take clear visual inspiration from the Mecha genre in the models, the "Crisis" suits falling somewhere between powered armour and mecha.
  • Privateer Press' Iron Kingdoms, the setting for the tabletop game Warmachine, includes Warcasters and characters that don suits of steam powered armor. The suits require coal to keep the furnace lit as well as water in their boiler. Additional components to the suits enable the user to perform alternate tasks such as channel spells, lift heavy weights, and perform field repairs. A newer more advanced version of the steam power armor is no longer powered by steam, instead it is powered by a "Storm Chamber", which provides electrical power to the suit.
  • In the storyline of The Gathering, the planeswalker Urza devises power armor for himself and several other planeswalkers in order to allow them to invade and survive Phyrexia.

Other alternatives

An alternative sci-fi concept to the powered armor would be the skinsuit, a very thin (hence the name) and flexible powered armor variant. The skinsuit can be used as an environmental-protection suit, similar to spacesuit (for example, in the Honorverse universe), or may have some artificial muscle that increases strength, resistance and endurance, but in that case sacrifices environmental protection, sensory equipment, and built-in weaponry. The suits seen in the anime and manga versions of Spriggan and Gantz or skull suit from Sons of Liberty would be prime example of this form of armor. The military uniforms in the webcomic Schlock Mercenary are almost universally skinsuits, utilizing buckminsterfullerene tubule-weave cloth and incorporating antigrav systems to allow a soldier flight capabilities.

As with powered exoskeletal armor, it is become apparent that even the skinsuit will become a possibility in the near future: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has reopened research into the space activity suit, a type of spacesuit that equalizes pressure through mechanical pressure as the suit with the breathing gas and DARPA is researching using carbon nanofiber tubes as artificial muscles for powered uniforms as opposed to an exoskeleton rig.

In Dan Simmons' Hyperion books, one of the protagonists is aided by a woman from the very distant future; she uses advanced technology to sheathe the character in an energy 'skinsuit' that not only acts as a powered body armor, but tends to injuries, allows the wearer to focus on objects with perfect clarity from many kilometers away, and allows the wearer to phase-shift into near-light speed in order to do combat. A person 'skinsuited' thus would appear to the viewer to be covered in a micrometres-thin layer of mercury.

External links

Robotics | Science fiction weapons | Fictional technology | Personal armor

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