A look at Raytheon’s new combat exoskeleton OF DOOM

It won’t be long before soldiers of the future will be hopping around like the kids in Starship Troopers (the book, not the movie) in super battle exoskeletons. This prototype from Raytheon won’t be seeing any frontline combat soon, but it’s a concept to show that step by robotic step, we’re getting closer and closer to a portable, deployable exoskeleton. And then… WORLD DOMINATION.

The XOS 2 comes in a couple of different variations, including a combat version, and a logistics version. The combat variation is not a weapons platform (as some might think), but rather an untethered design using just the legs. The combat variation’s purpose is to enable a soldier to carry a heavier load over greater distances without fatigue. Currently, the modern soldier carries a pack that weighs anywhere between 150-170 pounds, and any type of long distance travel on foot results in serious fatigue. Using the XOS 2, that same soldier would be able to that same 170 pounds, but it would feel like a mere 10 pounds.

Read more here