Skeletonics Exoskeleton

[avatarxprime]

A non-powered exoskeleton developed, where else, but Japan. The video shows its construction and then the team testing it out some. It's fairly agile and responsive. It is also made with just aluminum sheets and metal pipes. Here's a link to their website, helpfully run through Google Translate, for those interested.

[madd0ct0r]

That is both ridiculous and great fun.

In an un-powered form is it worth anything?
I'm assuming the robot arms would be weaker then just the human due the leverage differences.

[FSTargetDrone]

Seems to be just the sort of thing that would fit in at Burning Man. It doesn't look like it's of much use beyond being a giant, wearable toy.

[Iroscato]

Oh God...want!!!
Exoskeleton technology has come along a lot since I last checked. It's old technology as well, I think there's been things like that since the 60's...

[FSTargetDrone]

Oh God...want!!!
Exoskeleton technology has come along a lot since I last checked. It's old technology as well, I think there's been things like that since the 60's...

Powered exoskeletons, of which this is not. Well, it's human-powered and that's about it.

If they can build something this small and light, have it be self-powered and be able to augment the user's strength, that would be impressive.

[Darmalus]

That was funny.

Stick some painted foam panels on it, and you could have a life sized terminator marine costume.

[someone_else]

Hahahahah This thing is awesome, and you can walk decently even with it donned.
I wonder how much it does weight. 30 kg? More?

[Falarica]

This can only lead to Starcraft Marauder and Space Marine cosplay...

Looks good fun though.

[Cykeisme]

Any practical value whatsoever?

[Elheru Aran]

Well, in a practical sense, you could use it as a form of large costume to simulate extra-large people in movies-- trolls and Space Marines and such, if you didn't want to spend the money to CGI them. It would honestly be kind of cool to see an actual-size Space Marine actually walking around at a con or whatever.

But yes, without actually being powered in excess of human strength, there's not much advantage to it other than Cool Factor.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Any practical value whatsoever?

At this point does it mater? That looked AWESOME I'd personally love to run around in a Robo suit like that. I can see this type of motion mimic tech being replicated, at first, or very advance cosplayers who ewant to do Gundams or other Giant Robots in Anime.

[Cykeisme]

It's certainly cool and it'll look like helluva lot of fun to play with, I didn't mean to signify the dismissal that was no doubt implied by my usage of the word "whatsoever".

Life-sized Astartes Terminator armour cosplay : p~

[avatarxprime]

Any practical value whatsoever?

Well provided it's cheap enough (which I imagine it is) and can be minituarized some then it could be used by little people as a way of interacting with the world without needing to modify everything around them.

[Molyneux]

Any practical value whatsoever?

Depending on how expensive it is, yes, I'd say that that could be a real boon to costuming.
If you could make the framework out of something stronger, and work out a way to power it, that could be a pretty good step towards something like an Aliens-style power loader, I think.

[DudeGuyMan]

Any practical value whatsoever?

Well provided it's cheap enough (which I imagine it is) and can be minituarized some then it could be used by little people as a way of interacting with the world without needing to modify everything around them.

I for one welcome our new mecha-midget overlords.

[Iroscato]

Any practical value whatsoever?

Well provided it's cheap enough (which I imagine it is) and can be minituarized some then it could be used by little people as a way of interacting with the world without needing to modify everything around them.

I for one welcome our new mecha-midget overlords.

Oh for God's sake...

[Shaka[Zulu]]

the moment I saw this, my mind screamed 'Appleseed Landmate'!

[Coyote]

It could open some applications for science-fiction and fantasy movies, making new alien life form costumes...

[DudeGuyMan]

I'm really liking this whole exoskeleton-for-midgets thing. Except I see the dude developing it himself, and then revealing it by pulling a tarp off of it and going "BEHOLD!" God it just needs some flamethrowers.

[Drooling Iguana]

Looks like a suit like this could seriously fuck you up if you tripped and fell while wearing one. If it weren't for that I'd be asking when I can order one.