Upgraded 'XOS 2' Robotic Suit Is One Step Closer To 'Iron Man'

Do you want an Iron Man suit of your own? If you do. Join the club!

How about the next best thing?

Meet the Raytheon XOS 2, a wearable exoskeleton robotic suit that can climb stairs, lift upwards of 200 pounds, walk at speeds up to 3.5mph and punch through 3 inches of solid wood! It's no Iron Man, but is still damn awesome! Que AC/DC music.

The Raytheon XOS 2 is the second, upgraded version of the previous XOS 1, which was owned by Sacros at that time. Raytheon (a major US defense contractor) bought the company and gave the exoskeleton robot some really nifty upgrades.

The first thing they changed was the power consumption. It now uses 50% less power and is lighter, faster, stronger than its previous version. Even with the power consumtion reduced, the suit's biggest problem is still its power source. For the time being, it will need to be tethered to a cable for power. However, Raytheon plans to develop some kind of internal engine, eventually.

The suit was designed to help out by enabling soldiers to lift things without getting tired. Repeated lifting can put strain on the human body, causing injuries. One person operating the suit can do the work equivalent to about 3 soldiers. 

You could expect see the XOS 2 on a soldier in about 5 years. Watch the video below to get a better view of the thing. If the idea of a robotic suits gives you the chills. Here are some words of advice:

Human life is destined to be destroyed by autonomous robots no matter what. So don't worry, enjoy the ride!


Source: Nextbigfuture

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