Powered exo-skeletons
Who among us wouldn’t want to have Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit? Long the domain of science fiction, exoskeletons that can augment human abilities, or assist humans with disabilities, are becoming real. The U.S. military has been a key customer and funder of research in this area, as they continue to look for ways to augment human strength, endurance, and carrying capacity. Exoskeletons are already on the market from established companies like Lockheed Martin and more specialized companies such as Sarcos, with its Guardian XO battery-powered exo-skeloton.
Continued advances in robotics and in battery-energy density will continue to improve the performance of these devices for decades to come.