TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE

Exoskeletons Enhance Soldiers' Muscle Power

Scaled-down personalized versions of the exoskeleton featured in James Cameron's movie "Alien" (in a fight between Sigourney Weaver and the extraterrestrial) as well as in Cameron's "Avatar" (again as an offensive weapon) will soon be multiplying the muscle power of U.S. soldiers.

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Exoskeletons Enhance Soldiers' Muscle Power - Exoskeleton Multiples Muscle Power
Currently, the anthropomorphic, electro-hydraulic design runs on lithium-polymer batteries, but Lockheed is working with Protonex Technology (Southborough, Mass.) to develop a fuel-cell based power supply that is lighter weight and longer lasting, and can be swapped out in the field. In the event that the HULC runs out of power while being worn, it nevertheless continues to bear the weight of its load while the soldier recharges its battery or swaps out its fuel cell.
The Lockheed-Martin HULC exoskeleton uses power-assisted straps to act as arms when picking up heavy objects.

The performance of the HULC will be evaluated by the Natick Soldier Center, where biomechanical testing will measure the precise savings in energy that soldiers can expect to enjoy when wearing the HULC. The laboratory will also characterize the learning curve necessary for soldiers to adapt to wearing the HULC system when carrying various loads and moving over different types of terrain. Field trials will also test the HULC system's usefulness under a variety of operational and environmental conditions.

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