If scientists came out with an exoskeleton to be used in agriculture, why wouldn't they also develop one for army use? That's what Lockheed and Berkeley Bionics must have thought when developing the HULC (Human Universal Load Carrier) exoskeleton, intended to increase soldiers' strength.

The exoskeleton senses what users want to do and where they want to go. It augments their ability, strength and endurance. An onboard micro-computer ensures the exoskeleton moves in concert with the individual. Its modularity allows for major components to be swapped out in the field.

 

The super-strength suit attaches to the wearers' legs, augmenting their power while shadowing their movement. According to Lockheed, HULC enables the wearer to carry up to 200 pounds without much effort, and sprint up to 10 miles per hour in short bursts. Lithium-ion batteries will keep the wearer walking at a normal pace for an hour. The companies also claim that there's a "long-range extended 72-hour mission model," which relies on JP8 jet fuel.

 

HULC won't boost arm strength, but a shoulder strap does help with heavy lifting. And HULC doesn't need to be tethered to a power source, which means wearers can crawl and scamper around, uninhibited. HULC is also fairly easy to get on and off, as it can be removed in 30 seconds.

 

The HULC can be fitted with armor plating, heating or cooling systems, sensors and other custom attachments and it needs only 250 watts on average. The exoskeleton is based on a design from Berkeley Bionics of California, but Lockheed say they have brought significant upgrade to the basic HULC. The enhanced version is now on show at the Association of the United States' Army Winter Symposium in Florida. "With our enhancements to the HULC system, Soldiers will be able to carry loads up to 200 pounds with minimal effort," according to Lockheed's Rich Russell.

 

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