The US Marine Corps, with the hopes of scaling back Marine team numbers, will soon begin testing a full-body, robotic exoskeleton that is marketed to allow a single user to do the work of four to 10 people for hours on end.
Military.com reported Tuesday that the Marine Corps Logistics Innovation Office Program had finalized its contract with Sarcos Defense, a subsidiary of US-based Sarcos Robotics, to test the firm’s Guardian XO Alpha full-body, robotic exoskeleton before the year’s end.
“The ultimate goal is to provide troops with an edge by boosting their capabilities and dramatically improving safety and productivity in a variety of logistics applications.”
Predicted uses for the Guardian XO Alpha suit include the movement of heavy equipment and artillery that would normally require a forklift operator or several individuals to move. Ben Wolff, chief executive officer of Sarcos Defense, told Military.com that he expects the suit to reduce heavy-lifting injuries among the military.
A brief video uploaded to the parent company’s YouTube account on March 4 shows the exoskeleton in action.
“Instead of a team of four Marines, maybe you only need a Marine with this capability to offload pallets or move or load munitions,” Jim Miller, Sarcos Robotics’ vice president of defense solutions, told Military.com.
Military.com noted that the US Air Force and US Navy are also in talks with the contractor to explore exoskeleton options.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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