--- title: "The US Army Is Testing a Powered Exoskeleton" description: "The US Army is testing a pair of powered exoskeleton boots that could soon allow soldiers to carry heavily loaded rucksacks with ease over long distances." date: "2021-04-20" modified: "2021-04-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/us-army-testing-powered-exoskeleton" categories: - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "exoskeletons" - "powered exoskeleton" - "the digest" - "us army" --- # The US Army Is Testing a Powered Exoskeleton ![The US Army is testing a pair of powered exoskeleton boots that could soon allow soldiers to carry heavily loaded rucksacks with ease over long distances.]() *\Image: US Army\* ## ExoBoot The US Army is [testing out a pair of powered exoskeleton boots]() called the Dephy ExoBoot, which could soon allow soldiers to carry heavily loaded rucksacks with ease over long distances. The ExoBoot has an internal computer and sensors that glean information about how to assist the unit's wearer using built-in actuators. A current iteration, the Army says, is capable of detecting its wearer's gait in order to assist accordingly. ## Mind Control By tracking minute movements via 40 reflective dots across trial participants' bodies as well as 128 electrodes via a skull cap, military researchers were able to finetune the exoskeleton boots' performance. Participants were asked to walk on a treadmill for about an hour. "This will both improve our understanding of how humans adapt to intelligent systems, but also these signals carry information that could be used to help train the agent," said research scientist Cortney Bradford, from the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), in [a statement](). It's still unclear if the ExoBoot is able to actually alleviate the stress of carrying heavy loads on foot. Researchers are planning to analyze the data over the upcoming months and present this data over the summer. "We don’t have much data to compare to it," Bradford said. "Our longer-term objective is to identify the critical biometrics and integrate them into the exoskeleton controls." **READ MORE:** [Army study looks at how autonomous tech adapts to Soldiers]() \[US Army\] **More on exoskeletons:** *[Exoskeleton Maker Says Powered Suits Could Soon Be for Sale at Home Depot]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()