Real life Iron Man suit in development.

Daikun

A new second-generation exoskeleton robotic suit developed for the military – and deemed the closest thing to a real-life Iron Man costume – was unveiled on Monday during a demonstration with Paramount Home Entertainment.

The new robotic suit called Exoskeleton (XOS 2) – released by Raytheon Company – is lighter, faster and stronger than its predecessor, yet it uses 50 percent less power. Its enhanced design also means that it is more resistant to the environment.

Raytheon is developing the robotic suit to help with the many logistics challenges faced by the military both in and out of battle. Repetitive heavy lifting can lead to injuries, orthopedic injuries in particular.

Instead, the XOS 2 does the lifting for its operator, reducing both strain and exertion. It also does the work faster. One operator in an exoskeleton suit can do the work of two to three soldiers. Deploying exoskeletons would allow military personnel to be reassigned to more strategic tasks.

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There's also this alternative model.

WindUpBird

Oh fuck. That could easily mount a particularly narrow-beam Active Denial System or anti-personnel cannon and a Stinger missile system and compensate for recoil actively. The Heinlein-lover in me loves it, the pacifist in me hates it.

Victor Frost

I'm partial to the second one. Then again, I'd love it if it were 50 feet tall instead of five.

WindUpBird

I'm partial to the second one. Then again, I'd love it if it were 50 feet tall instead of five.

I'd want it to be about 10-15 feet tall. With a Caterpillar Powerloader paintjob.

lackofcheese

I remember I had a long debate on Relic's Dawn of War forums arguing that powered exoskeletons counted as walkers.