Taiwan to develop military exoskeleton because it's not like these things are open-sourced or one-size-fits-all
- Reference: 1586930529
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/04/15/taiwan_exoskeleton_development/
- Source link:
The nation's Overseas Community Affairs Council decided its English-language readers needed to know about a proposed $8.3m Armaments Bureau proposal to "develop a powered exoskeleton, a wearable mechanized system that magnifies movements, allowing enhanced ability to perform physical tasks".
"The military plans to use the suits in wartime and in post-disaster rescue and relief missions," the [1]announcement revealed, before noting that only a few nations have military exoskeletons and they're hardly likely to share their technology. And even if they did, the announcement said, they probably aren't the right size for Taiwanese soldiers.
The announcement said the Armaments Bureau is "working closely with private medical technology, automation and robotics companies, as well as local universities and the military’s top research institution, the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology".
Left unsaid was that in 2019 China conducted a competition to develop military exoskeletons. ®
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[1] https://www.ocac.gov.tw/OCAC/Eng/Pages/Detail.aspx?nodeid=329&pid=16176115
[2] https://go.theregister.co.uk/tl/1936/-8579/choosing-a-low-code-vendor?td=wptl1936
Re: Aren't.....
"Well, I can drive that loader."
Whrrrr buzz buzz.
"Where do you want it?"
Re: Aren't.....
I'm just irritated they chose an image of a powered endo skeleton for the story.
Re: Aren't.....
Isn't it a bit more Pacific Rim than Terminator?
Re: Aren't.....
I was thinking it was sounding more like [1]Fallout Power Armour . But then I'm coming to the end of a Fallout 4 play through, so I guess I would.
[1] https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Power_armor
Surely it's the TSMCnsformer no wait he's UMCndrew Martin
No, one size fits all.
The exoskeleton just adjusts your size to fit it.
Re: The exoskeleton just adjusts your size to fit it.
I think there may have been an ancient Greek prototype that implemented that particular feature ...
I wonder how well they hold up against machine gun fire? Or grenades? Or other artillery?
And if they're powered, which I imagine they are, otherwise it's just a suit of armour, how long does the battery or other power source last?
I suspect they'll only be good for a few niche applications until the technology improves markedly beyond what we have now.
Nah. The man-portable fusion generators should be ready by the time they've finished.
These things can be unpowered, and there are multiple advances in this field already with clever combinations of springs, cables, webbing and mechanisms to augment the wearer's movements, help with load bearing by transferring loads to the ground around (instead of through) the wearer's spine and legs.
Not as much augmentation as a powered exo, but works all the time. And sure, they're no Talos, so limited, if any armour, but Talos only exists as feverred wish-dreams of certain Generals and their arms suppliers.
There are also advances in engine miniaturisation which can provide surprising amounts of power for their sizes. Multiple kilowatts. The thinking is batteries for stealth, internal combustion for combat or other high-energy use-cases e.g. search and rescue, moving equipment.
try carrying more than one or two large calibre mortar rounds far and you'll take any help you can get...I don't think they are designing a combat suit!
Aren't.....
you a little short for a Terminator?