Popular Science blows out the Sarcos XOS exoskeleton

We were sold on (and slightly terrified of) the Sarcos XOS exoskeleton from the moment we first saw it show off its superhuman capabilities on video late last year, but if you just can't get enough of it you'll definitely want to hit up the ever-dependable Popular Science, which has now totally blown things out with the full story behind the suit, complete with some great new pics of it. As if that wasn't enough, the piece also includes some tidbits about some of Sarcos' future plans, including word that the Army plans to begin field-testing the XOS by 2009, and that the company intends to kick off a new research program this summer tasked with developing a new generator that'll be capable of powering the suit for "hours at a time." Of course, there's plenty more in the six-page feature that we're unable to sum up here, so be sure to hit up the link below for the full story.

[A.C.E.R. @ Apr 11th 2008 5:08PM]

Awesome? Now tell me how to get my profile picture to work.

[Aguiluz @ Apr 11th 2008 5:09PM]

Click your name, and log in at your profile. You will then see a "profile picture" option. Then upload your avvie.

[A.C.E.R. @ Apr 11th 2008 5:12PM]

doesn't work. says it'll be updated in 5 mins. but never is. wasn't working before site update, isn't working after site update.

[Aguiluz @ Apr 11th 2008 5:35PM]

Hmm... What kind of picture you are trying to upload?

Be sure it is 64x64 pixels and JPEG.

My avvie is like that.

[A.C.E.R. @ Apr 11th 2008 5:37PM]

it's a 64x64 jpeg.

[Tinu @ Apr 11th 2008 6:41PM]

Have you tried it here?
http://www.blogsmith.com/profile/1896362/

[A.C.E.R. @ Apr 11th 2008 7:31PM]

woot! being an annoying bastard does pay off! thanks Tinu, that worked.

[aaron @ Apr 12th 2008 5:09PM]

Hell, I just want to figure out who to contact if I forgot my login altogether.

[Mark @ Apr 11th 2008 5:14PM]

what's the helmet for?

[UKNigel @ Apr 12th 2008 12:57AM]

Dramatic effect.

[Carl M @ Apr 12th 2008 1:22AM]

It's in case there's a software bug and the machine decides you want to hit yourself in the face.

And yes, I'm being totally serious.

[Dan Davis @ Apr 11th 2008 5:16PM]

Huge balls FTW!

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ Apr 11th 2008 5:17PM]

in the video theres some halo type mockups,
i want one of them because of that alone

[bpnoy3 @ Apr 11th 2008 5:17PM]

now if only it can be slimmer smaller the you can walk like an android

http://bpnoy3.wordpress.com/

[aytunc @ Apr 11th 2008 5:23PM]

If you remember a post about hard disks in a competing blog, 250 GB hard disks were the size of a small bus 40 years ago, now we can put hundred times more in our everyday Ipod Nano's. Imagine that bulky exoskeleton in 20 years, it would be implanted under the epidermis.

I hope, for humanity end any pain of being disabled in our lifetime, even though we may have to sacrifice not having 3G Iphone for that.

[Jake @ Apr 11th 2008 5:33PM]

i wish my ipod nano HAD a 250gb ...let alone hundreds of times that much storage.

[aytunc @ Apr 11th 2008 6:46PM]

oops, meant MB
not GB

[Zhalfim Deyn @ Apr 12th 2008 2:58AM]

@aytunc

uhhh, if you put an exoskeleton under the epidermis, then it kind of defeats the purpose of it being an EXOskeleton, doesn't it?

[Brent @ Apr 11th 2008 5:18PM]

The scary thing with a suit that gives you super strength is if it malfunctions and decides you told it to spin your arm 360 degrees.

[Podaman @ Apr 11th 2008 6:43PM]

I had an itch on my nose, now I have no face. :(

[applefan @ Apr 11th 2008 9:38PM]

Whoops!

I crushed my iPhone.

[Carl M @ Apr 12th 2008 1:28AM]

That's a serious issue. That's why it needs to be designed such that it physically can't do things like bend your arm the wrong way.

However, nothing prevents a software bug from, say, deciding to make you hit yourself in the face with superhuman strength. That's why the dude is wearing a helmet.

I imagine it must have a huge number of safety interlocks. I wonder if there's a scream sensor that shuts it down if the operator, you know, screams?

[Dolemite @ Apr 11th 2008 5:24PM]

That article was just painful to read. They keep talking about Iron Man too much, and I was never a big fan.

Batman > Iron Man

[Podaman @ Apr 11th 2008 8:20PM]

Carmageddon > Batman > Iron Man

[nikster @ Apr 12th 2008 2:03AM]

Agree completely. Give me the dirt on the XOS. Leave me alone with Iron Man.

XOS looks like it's pretty far from being actually useful...

[Blue Sunshine @ Apr 11th 2008 5:26PM]

Bomberman approves.

[Darkroom @ Apr 11th 2008 5:33PM]

awesome, now my fat ass can join the army.

[Aguiluz @ Apr 11th 2008 5:36PM]

I don't really know if your fat butt can join the army alone...

:-D

(joke.)

[daliminator2000 @ Apr 11th 2008 5:37PM]

It may let you lift heavy things...but does it impress chicks in the same way?

[Ian @ Apr 11th 2008 6:35PM]

o yes o yes it does!

[waterwagen @ Apr 11th 2008 5:51PM]

Can't wait to get one for bowling night. Two balls at once!

[jimmy @ Apr 11th 2008 6:31PM]

"Two balls at once!"

ewww

[antbring @ Apr 11th 2008 5:52PM]

Does it play blu-ray?

[ChrisB @ Apr 11th 2008 7:21PM]

Will it blend?

[applefan @ Apr 11th 2008 9:38PM]

Does it play Doom?

[UKNigel @ Apr 12th 2008 12:59AM]

I, for one, welcome our exoskeleton human-controlling overlords.

[tylerdille @ Apr 11th 2008 5:53PM]

Is that the Mark 1?

[Ed @ Apr 12th 2008 1:03AM]

Somehow the image of an old lady wearing one of these at Superstore scares me...

[Ed @ Apr 12th 2008 1:06AM]

and...being an idiot i clicked the reply button for one post above, my bad =_=;

[Erik Sagen @ Apr 11th 2008 6:00PM]

Nice! I could think of a thousand different uses with this. Taking in all the groceries at once is one of them.

[Jiggy1 @ Apr 11th 2008 6:07PM]

Can I play Doom in it?

(Can I get a ruling on if that is an acceptable variant?)

[jimmy @ Apr 11th 2008 6:30PM]

the original isn't acceptable and neither are variants

FAIL

[jimmy @ Apr 11th 2008 6:29PM]

cool, but i'm waiting to buy a mechwarrior

[Ian @ Apr 11th 2008 6:37PM]

well just put some armor on it and then get a gun and bam! instant mech

[Bobs @ Apr 11th 2008 7:11PM]

No, instant killdozer with legs

[Woogs @ Apr 12th 2008 11:20AM]

You mean a BattleMech, damnit! Mechwarriors are the pilot. And we don't have the neural interface to let the pilot handle balancing and reflexes yet, this is all based off muscular actions.

[MyName @ Apr 11th 2008 6:42PM]

To quote a famous documentary:

"Get away from her you BITCH"

[Aguiluz @ Apr 11th 2008 6:56PM]

And... It's related to here how?

[MyName @ Apr 11th 2008 7:04PM]

The documentary I am talking about is called "Aliens" and the quote is from the point where Ripley walks out in a military exoskeleton to do battle with the alien queen.

Very relevant.

[Ian @ Apr 12th 2008 2:28AM]

damn she kills that momma alien good