The U.S. military command in charge of special operations is betting tens of millions of dollars on a science fiction suit that would wrap troops in high-tech body armor and effectively afford them superhuman abilities.
Back in the real world, SOCOM is offering up its own high-dollar prizes to the private sector — as well as academia and Hollywood special effects designers — to deploy exoskeleton-clad super soldiers against the United States’ enemies around the world.
A Hollywood costume and prop designer responsible for the iconic Iron Man suit and Captain America superhero outfits has been commissioned by Elon Musk to create a spacesuit for SpaceX astronauts.
Unlike a rigid exoskeleton or even a flashy Iron-Man-like suit, the exosuit Walsh and his colleagues built consists of textiles and soft materials that attach to a person's legs, waist and back. The soft suit doesn't hinder people's movement, allowing them to walk like they aren't carrying a load at all, the researchers said.