the first ballistic full exoskeleton body suit of armour

[Cryozombie]

http://nextbigfuture.com/2007/01/new-armor-from-bear-protection-suit.html

A small inventor has created new body armor
The suit has stood up to bullets from high-powered weapons, including an elephant gun. The suit was empty during the ballistics tests, but he's more than ready to put it on and face live fire. The whole suit is made from high-impact plastic lined with ceramic bullet protection over ballistic foam. Its many features include compartments for emergency morphine and salt, a knife and emergency light. Built into the forearms are a small recording device, a pepper-spray gun and a detachable transponder that can be swallowed in case of trouble. In the helmet, there's a solar-powered fresh-air system and a drinking tube attached to a canteen in the small of the back.

Seems quite Sci-Fi to me...

He claims it could be mass produced for 2k a suit. I just wonder how practical it would be for SWAT and Military use... I'd definitely like to see it in action and see how it does.

 

[Sukerkin]

Oh my! Here come the Space Marines . The coolness factor is high but I wonder, as Cryo did, how practical it would be in operation?

 

[JDenver]

Oh my! Here come the Space Marines . The coolness factor is high but I wonder, as Cryo did, how practical it would be in operation?

I wonder what on Earth people are doing------

 

[jks9199]

Well -- since the article is 2 years old, and I haven't seen or heard anything about it in professional circles, I suspect that it ain't quite as perfected as implied.

It's a neat idea. But I wonder about the actual mobility in it; could you bend down and pick stuff up? How is the weight (18 kg is about 40 pounds) balanced? How well does it work with things like gas masks? Can you fire a rifle in it? Is it fire resistant? Can you effectively wrestle someone in it? Can you get up -- QUICKLY! -- if you fall or are knocked down.

Like I said, it's a really neat idea, but it looks like the guy went broke, too...

 

[Grenadier]

T'would seem impossible to mass-produce it at 2K / unit.

Each exo-skeleton as it is, would have to be custom produced for a given individual, unless you have two individuals of very, very similar dimensions.

Now, maybe if we had something like the Clone troopers of the Star Wars world, the custom tailoring would be unnecessary, but at this time, different people are shaped in different ways.

 

[arnisador]

Looks cool--I have to believe it limits mobility and endurance?

 

[Cryozombie]

Well -- since the article is 2 years old, and I haven't seen or heard anything about it in professional circles, I suspect that it ain't quite as perfected as implied.

Ha! I didnt even look at the date when that was sent to me last night, LOL.

 

[Deaf Smith]

No problem! They already have the remedy to such suits.

Tungsten Carbide.....

Get a 30-06 'accelrator', take the .224 grain slug out, and replace it with a section of a tugnsten carbide drill bit.

Not sure if it's legal as they do have a law against such material in handguns and there is a .30-06 handgun (TC makes them.)

Deaf

 

[Jenny_in_Chico]

I really need that suit for playtime with my Blue Heeler.

 

[MA-Caver]

Like the others I wonder about mobility, flexibility, adaptability and all around performance.
Also at 2K a suit... nah, if it were actually plausible to do that Washington/Pentagon would've definitely gone into it and our soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan would've been so equipped by year's end.
Also like someone observed not all soldiers are built the same way.
I thought of Starship Troopers when I saw it as well, also thought about RoboCop.
Nah, like Deaf said... the suit isn't wholly invulnerable.

 

[Archangel M]

Armor systems like this for "line troops" always seem leave out the necessity for mobility. The ability to transport a significant amount of weight in rucksacks, weapons and other gear ON TOP of this full body armor always seems to be ignored. I can see something like this for SWAT style operations but am less likely to see infantrymen wearing stuff like this "as is".

If the material is indeed bullet resistant I can see developments like this as a useful prototype.

 

[prokarateshop]

Looks like a cartoon.. I doubt people will wear that..

 

[Blindside]

I'll take the next generation of this prototype instead....

 

[K-man]

mmm. But, you have to admit, it is an improvement on the original metalic exoskeletons of the knights of yesteryear.

 

[Sukerkin]

It is a common and oft repeated mis-conception that the armours of the High Chivalric period were cumbersome. One of the major reasons for their enormous expense was that they were designed and fitted to an individual to permit the best compromise between protection and mobility.

Having seen fellows bouting in full harness doing and recovering from throws, sprinting and even doing cartwheels I can only hold those long ago smiths in awe for what they achieved.

 

[lklawson]

It is a common and oft repeated mis-conception that the armours of the High Chivalric period were cumbersome. One of the major reasons for their enormous expense was that they were designed and fitted to an individual to permit the best compromise between protection and mobility.

Darn straight!

They were very "custom." Fluting, differential thicknesses, etc.

Another problem is the common confusion of combat armour and Jousting armour.

Wouldn't generally stop most modern ammunition though.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[sgtmac_46]

Like the others I wonder about mobility, flexibility, adaptability and all around performance.
Also at 2K a suit... nah, if it were actually plausible to do that Washington/Pentagon would've definitely gone into it and our soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan would've been so equipped by year's end.
Also like someone observed not all soldiers are built the same way.
I thought of Starship Troopers when I saw it as well, also thought about RoboCop.
Nah, like Deaf said... the suit isn't wholly invulnerable.

It would never be practical as it exists for military operations.......too bulky, heavy and it would overheat the user.

Limited usefulness in SWAT operations.

 

[sgtmac_46]

It is a common and oft repeated mis-conception that the armours of the High Chivalric period were cumbersome. One of the major reasons for their enormous expense was that they were designed and fitted to an individual to permit the best compromise between protection and mobility.

Having seen fellows bouting in full harness doing and recovering from throws, sprinting and even doing cartwheels I can only hold those long ago smiths in awe for what they achieved.

Quite true.