Jetpack Enables Anyone To Run A 4-Minute Mile

[Abomination]

This is a completely inefficient and costly method of attempting to improve a very specific scenario. This runner is on flat terrain, of which there are countless other cheaper methods of improving their speed.

For this technology to be efficient at all we will need to have developments in producing the same power from a smaller piece of equipment. This is just an act of combining current technology into a specific package, not developing those component parts.

Maybe when we have a jet engine that can produce 2x the power and is half the size will this be even slightly cost-effective. Until then, spend more time on actual, functional improvements and not on what is essentially a leaf blower taped to some guy's back.

Well it's only a prototype, but so far I'm not impressed either.

However, it is the first step towards this:

MAXIMUM SPEED

A combat exoskeleton that does all the weight carrying for you and that could potentially act as an armor makes more sense than this "jet pack", even though it's still not very practical because of the material it's being made off and because once you're out of juice you'd have to leave very expensive tech behind or destroy it in case it's a military thing. We desperately need a breakthrough in graphene technology because we need graphene to be cheap to manufacture like silicone. Both for the purpose of building harder and lighter stuff and more energy efficient electronic devices.

Doesn't that second suit essentially drive the wearer insane and/or become impossible to remove without killing the "host"?

Not sure if that's a standard we want to set progress by

I'm thinking a combat exoskeleton would be better suited to protecting the wearer first than being a neat little "noisy, run faster, very expensive" gadget strapped to the back. I'm thinking "Edge of Tomorrow" exoskeletons and what they entail to be better for folk in combat.

 

[Kajin]

I came, I saw, and I left somewhat disappointed. There was such a huge buildup and it only improved his time by a punishingly small amount. I was expecting that guy to take off like a rocket.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

I wanted to see a fat guy sprinting like the T-1000.

Like a REALLY fat guy. I'm talking orca fat, just tearing it up.

God damn it...

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

This really bothers me. At the beginning of the video they explain that they were working on making artificial limbs for amputees but then they all of a sudden stopped doing that and started making this stuff for Darpa? That just leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Going from doing something as excellent as helping people who have lost limbs to making another high tech toy to make soldiers more efficient at killing people just seems like a waste.

DARPA isn't as bad as conspiracy theorist would have you believe. Do some research on what those guys do. They're not a bad bunch most of the time.

 

[go-10]

so this maybe will become a standard tool of future soldiers?
...
...
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war has changed...

 

[Lightknight]

Alright, everything is in place. We've finally figured out a way to make running faceplant fails more impressive.

Beyond Pyrian is already bringing this home. If the entire goal is to get from point a to point b and you can drop the device? Then ok. But standard all-day pack? Nope, not without significant improvements to performance and significant reductions in weight.

I wonder what most of the weight is from? Fuel fluid and the frame perhaps? The closer the proportion is to fluid weight then the less they can do about reducing it.

Maybe if we combine this with tech to improve leg and back strength then the weight won't matter and could potentially even be increased for more performance. But we've got to be a good decade away from that functionality and I'm not entirely sure that human soldiers aren't being phased out by robotics too.

 

[Pyrian]

Heh, good point. What's the best way to reduce the weight of a human exoskeleton? Remove the human. Remote control "suits" FTW! Just keep the lag manageable and having the soldier actually physically wear the suit is pure disadvantage.

 

[Lightknight]

Heh, good point. What's the best way to reduce the weight of a human exoskeleton? Remove the human. Remote control "suits" FTW! Just keep the lag manageable and having the soldier actually physically wear the suit is pure disadvantage.

Yeah, these flesh bag robot conduits are just getting in the way. Why, without all that flesh in the bag we can totally have room for more armaments and batteries...

Also, I'm pretty sure we can make them fly...

Joking aside from repelling direct invasions, I do not see a future where boots on the ground in foreign soil makes sense except general peacekeeping and social interactions.