Berkeley Bionics' HULC exoskeleton lets you effortlessly carry 200lbs

Sorry, but squats are so 20th Century. Instead, strap on the HULC -- Human Universal Load Carrier -- exoskeleton and effortlessly carry an extra 200lbs. HULC not only increases your human payload, but it also "decreases [your] metabolic cost". In other words, it seems Berkeley Bionics developed this thing for extremely lazy people, those who lose their breath easily, or for those on what they call "long duration missions". This is no joke, though -- the company is taking orders for the suit already.

[Via Switched]

[ps @ May 31st 2008 6:26AM]

With the HULC exosceleton even a normal Laptop can easily be carried by women and children.

So this is the end of the netbook market?

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 31st 2008 10:53AM]

Screw robotic exoskeletons.

I want a robotic ENDOskeleton.

[geothermalcat @ May 31st 2008 6:26AM]

ive always wondered what would happen if you were carrying this 200lb and the suit either malfunctioned or even worse broke on a supporting part.... that 20lb would crush you flat!!

i think this is putting too much dependency on technology

[Nihility @ May 31st 2008 9:24AM]

Same thing that happens when you drive a car at 100 km/h and your front tire blows out. You get badly injured or die.
However, engineers test the systems to make sure that is very unlikely to happen. An exoskeleton like this could be used to lift heavy weights in places where a forklift can't go (and someday to fight off the robots).

[iEye @ May 31st 2008 12:38PM]

Well at least this it the first step towards an IRON MAN suit!

Now this is a much more useful technology, say than multi touch...

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 31st 2008 1:26PM]

If I was an officer going up against an army of HULC-equipped soldiers, I'd just have my guys sneak up behind them and push them all over. Before they knew what was going on, they'd all be lying face-down, pinned under their 200-lbs. payloads.

Check . . . and mate.

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 31st 2008 1:27PM]

Ooo . . . even better. EMP those mofos.

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 31st 2008 1:27PM]

Ooo . . . even better. EMP those mofos.

[deyanimay @ May 31st 2008 6:21PM]

this is no iron man suit its a spartan suit.

[iofthestorm @ May 31st 2008 11:15PM]

Aaaah! MissingNo's back, run for your lives!

[Saad Rabia @ May 31st 2008 6:37AM]

No Video, No Care.

[Ayman @ May 31st 2008 12:31PM]

Ditto

[Reader @ May 31st 2008 12:38PM]

Switched (Engadget site) has the video up:
http://www.switched.com/2008/05/30/exoskeletons-available-for-pre-order/

[Christy McGrory @ May 31st 2008 6:40AM]

Great, Now I can carry my 2.4 children around all day...

[ReggieXuk @ May 31st 2008 6:53AM]

Lets you carry 200lbs but makes you walk funny.
And dependancy on technology will be one of our downfalls.

[John Z @ May 31st 2008 7:14AM]

HULC SMASH!

[TomFox @ May 31st 2008 8:55PM]

I was going to say that :D

[Ignatius @ May 31st 2008 7:59AM]

Well, you also have to think that this is for people who work in construction and need to carry a lot of material. This would be a great improvement for places that require heavy lifting, because it would enable the average person to lift great weights without years of training.

[tandaz @ May 31st 2008 4:12PM]

Yeah now that little skinny guy that always wanted to work construction can fulfill a lifetime dream!

[~~Tito~~ @ Jun 1st 2008 1:29AM]

What about the porn industry? Mega Hardcore, ehh. . . . .?

[Bad Beaver @ May 31st 2008 8:14AM]

"You will be able to carry an extra 90kg, but you will walk like a neanderthal and also have to wear this BDSM-inspired mouthpiece contraption"

People will love it.

[Reader @ May 31st 2008 12:40PM]

The thing on his mouth is for testing only. If you watch the video on Switched it sound pretty amazing. It even makes normal walking easier (lowering heart rate, etc.), not just carrying heavy stuff.

[bondsbw @ May 31st 2008 8:27AM]

What's the price? I would go look it up, but I'm too lazy.

[Reactive @ May 31st 2008 8:37AM]

Unfortunately, the suit also weighs 200lbs :p

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 31st 2008 2:20PM]

Video says 31 lbs.

[KG @ May 31st 2008 8:41AM]

What are yall talking about dependency on technology? That's all people of the world do everyday! Depend on technology. When's the last time you wrote a letter and mailed it instead of writing an email. Case closed.

[ReggieXuk @ May 31st 2008 8:57AM]

Yes, but it some cases, its us who have our life put on hold just because there is no power. When london banks are effected by a power cut, and you have to line up for hours to get money. MONEY, no electricity, no money, no money, then what?

[badboy @ May 31st 2008 2:30PM]

If we really didn't depend on technology you would be witting with a rock not a pen.

[Tyson @ May 31st 2008 8:55AM]

Thats a damn shame people are getting that lazy.. wait until the aliens come and people have forgotten how to walk and all of the segways batteries fail. With that said how much and where do i sign up

[Nihility @ May 31st 2008 9:30AM]

That's exactly why we have exoskeletons!

[Nihility @ May 31st 2008 9:28AM]

The article didn't mention what kind of onboard weapon systems the exoskeleton has. Black hole generator or no sale!

[That Frood @ Jun 1st 2008 3:24PM]

Okay, seriously now people, when was the last time privately-made technology made life worse? Or made things more inconvenient for you?

[Kizorblade @ May 31st 2008 9:56AM]

Ahh, but will it stop people laughing at you?

[ShadowMaker @ May 31st 2008 10:28AM]

They will stop laughing when you pick them off the floor and throw them away effortlessly.

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 31st 2008 2:24PM]

@Shadowmaker

You'd need exo-arms for that first.

[TRAFFICBLOWS @ May 31st 2008 10:03AM]

Can't wait to see the first HULC backyard wrestling match!

[Ratteler @ May 31st 2008 11:12AM]

When are we gunna start seeing DIY kits for these?

[prOn* @ May 31st 2008 11:38AM]

or how bout 3rd world countries where they have to haul big barrels of water on foot every day? Hmm?

[Ayman @ May 31st 2008 12:29PM]

Yes thats what they need instead of those Dumb trucks that can take many barrels of water and drive longer distances

[Reader @ May 31st 2008 12:42PM]

prOn*, the savior of the third world. Once upon a time he proposed to give them super expensive exoskeletons which run on electricity (from their nonexistent power grid). Yes, he was a great man.

(I'm assuming you're just trolling)

[prOn* @ May 31st 2008 1:51PM]

oops, /sarcasm

[jake @ May 31st 2008 12:43PM]

To the naysayers... There is a video of this thing out there on the net. Look for it. It doesn't look so bad once you see it in motion. It even has a release latch for the backpack in case you need to lose it in a hurry. I don't imagine it would be too hard to develop an automatic release in case the exoskeleton fails. And the crazy mouth piece is being used to measure oxygen consumption. I saw the guy running with a 100 or 150 lb. load in the video and I have to admit that I can think of lots of uses for the technology. The whole thing looks a lot more slick in the video.

[ddub @ May 31st 2008 12:59PM]

I saw something similar on youtube yesterday. But this exoskeleton attaches to your arms as well. Although its quite a big bulkier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhj3Z9o6t0g

[TSM @ May 31st 2008 1:37PM]

effortlessly.. This guy looks like he is really really struggling to move.

[solu @ May 31st 2008 7:20PM]

yeah i got a good laugh out of the "effortlessly" claim too, he obviously straining pretty hard there. Watch the youtube video, it looks like the suit is more of a hindrance than anything.

[dnnr @ May 31st 2008 5:50PM]

A company out of Utah called "Sarcos" is already doing this. The Sarcos machine looks cooler, but as for actually performance, I haven't had a chance to compare one against the other.

[ddub @ Jun 2nd 2008 4:46AM]

I put a youtube link up above of the sarcos one.

[Seoultrain @ May 31st 2008 5:33PM]

I actually did some work for this at Berkeley, specifically for the knee joint. My group's work wasn't used in the final design, but we weren't completely tied into the program either. The early prototype was about 3x bulkier than this one and had all types of problems with power consumption. Anyway, it's good to see this project has developed nicely.

[Net @ May 31st 2008 6:49PM]

The HULC is ugly. Japan made their HAL with a much cooler design. you may want to check the links:

http://www.cyberdyne.jp/english/robotsuithal/index.html

http://current.com/items/88934852_sleek_robotic_exoskeleton_developed_in_japan

[solu @ May 31st 2008 7:24PM]

omfg your first link has the most hilarious picture i have ever seen.