After years of research and development, the United States Army is once again attempting to develop a powered exoskeleton to assist soldiers in carrying heavy loads on the battlefield. However, this does not mean that we can expect to see a futuristic suit of combat armor like those seen in science fiction movies anytime soon. The recent evaluation of off-the-shelf exoskeleton suits by soldiers at Fort Sill, Oklahoma was overseen by the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), the organization responsible for developing new technology for soldiers. While the Army has not disclosed which commercially produced systems were evaluated, they did announce their intent to award a contract to exoskeleton maker SUITX in August. The goal of this evaluation was to assess the potential of human augmentation and determine if these exoskeletons meet the demands of soldiers. However, DEVCOM officials have emphasized that the military has yet to determine how to actually apply a powered exoskeleton in a military context, and an official requirement document for the adoption and fielding of exoskeletons does not currently exist. Despite this, the Army remains committed to exploring the potential benefits of robotic assistance in increasing soldier endurance, strength, and overall operational effectiveness.
