Taiwan claims to have developed a battery-powered exoskeleton suit that will provide its soldiers to run faster and carry heavy objects without breaking a sweat. The first-gen suit was engineered by the country’s main weapons supplier, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, reports The South China Morning Post.
The suit is part of a 4-year project called the “Taiwan Ironman program,” which has a budget of $5.74 million and the goal of providing Taiwan’s soldiers with a lower-body exoskeleton to amplify their endurance and strength.
Helping carry injured soldiers in battle
“To reduce fatigue of soldiers in carrying heavy facilities… we started developing the powered suit for the military in 2020,” Jen Kuo-Kuang, head developer of the project, told in a news conference obtained by the SCMP.
Jen told the media that the suit cuts down stress on the leg and hip joints, enabling the wearer to lift and carry forward heavy objects for long distances at speeds of up to 4 miles per hour. “They can be used in field operations and movement of ammunition and heavy-duty weapons, and can increase the mobility and efficiency of the troops in wartime and post-disaster rescue missions,” Jen said at the conference.
Taiwan currently is aiming to create version 2.0 of the suit, which it says will allow the wearer to carry around 220lbs of weight. Jen added that this could be helpful in helping move around the soldiers injured during a battle.
Robot wars on the horizon?
This comes as a move for the growing tensions between Taiwan and mainland China, which still views the country as its territory. Previously, China People’s Liberation Army also demonstrated a similar suit for its army. So, there’s a possibility that the war of exoskeletons might actually happen at some point in time.
Recently, military robot maker Ghost Robotics showcased a robot with a sniper gun strapped to its back. It’s basically a death machine designed to kill with precision on the battlefield. The image was filled with comments; while some thought it was cool, some think it’s a nightmare turned into reality.
