On Exoskeletons
Click to viewSo, some folks have been abuzz about the new HAL exoskeleton, especially the announcement that they'll make about 120 per year at 4.2k a piece, which is way cheaper than what that video states. Honestly, I think it's a major step forward in turning squishy meatbags into Mobile Infantry (or Space Marines if you prefer more psychotic (read: awesome) fare), but I don't think it has the promise that most folks or its designers purport.
I can see it being very useful for some forms of disability, and a great boon for anyone who needs lower-body support, meaning it could be great for anyone carrying an enormous amount of torso-based weight like backpacks. As far as military applications though, this current generation is limited. One, military systems need reliability and endurance, neither of which I can see this having. If a servo on the arm burns out, for instance, you'd have to ditch the whole thing. The second part of this is the battery. I'm not really sure how long that thing will last. That's really going to need some more research because, quite frankly, the current state of battery technology is pathetic, and you don't want soldiers who need a constant supply of fuel just to march. Food is cheap and doesn't take much room, so you need something comparable to this human fuel to be effective.
So, Research Target for Maximum Awesome #1: Long-term batteries or readily-available, compact fuel.
Second, there is one conspicuous thing that I notice in almost all powered suit prototypes that have been unveiled: no hands. The best most can muster is a pair of hooks. The fact of the matter is, we really don't have the technology to replicate the strength and accuracy of hands. There are some projects that are very close, like this, but they're not designed for the same things. Currently, hands are designed for precision and feedback and not for strength, because that's what our hands and arms are: they're manipulators. Make no mistake, these are amazing devices and I'm simply in awe of how many people they can help, but they're not the same as robosupergear.
Research Target for Maximum Awesome #2: Haptic sensors and actuator strength
We're getting close though, very close to power armor. It will probably show up in our generation, but by then it might be irrelevant or barely used thanks to our unmanned drone developments. I think the thing I like most about these new technologies though is the things that lots of futurists don't talk about: they're prostheses. This technology was designed to help people first and foremost. Weaponizing it will come later, or maybe not at all, depending upon military budgeting. Even if they are weaponized, it will be mostly for armor and gear carrying, at least initially. So, given the inevitability of war, it will help people live longer when they have to fight. And then we'll just have to deal with the psychology of it all. Good thing we're putting out more psych degrees lately.