Gallery: Presidential Ringtones | 4 Photos
Gallery: Presidential Ringtones | 4 Photos
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Though the XOS is obviously capable of some pretty fancy footwork and pummels a punching bag with ease, Smith laid out the reality for us right away: the military is looking for exoskeletons primarily to help reduce headcount by carrying heavy weights. The fewer folks it takes to load munitions into a truck and the longer soldiers can carry 120-pound packs, the more money the government's willing to spend on those defense contracts. That doesn't rule out an armored, wall-busting Juggernaut variant for rescuing hostages, kicking ass and chewing bubble gum -- and that sort of "don't bother with the door" exoskeleton was indeed on the drawing board, Smith said -- but "the teams most interested are coming from the logistics side of the business."
While we had the doctor at our disposal, we thought we'd ask how the exoskeleton manages such a blend of dexterity, agility and strength that it can both boot around soccer balls and lift 200 pounds with ease. As it turns out, the crux of the invention was head-slappingly simple: though a patent-pending idea Smith calls "get out of the way control," the unit measures the load on each joint as its operator moves about, and figures out the direction it needs to move in 3-D space to literally move out of the way. Smart, right? If you agree, then we've got a reading assignment we think you'll enjoy -- Popular Science chronicled the genesis of the bionic suit in this must-read feature.