[Freddy]

Here's something pretty cool.  The robotics business Sarcos has been bought by defence contractor Raytheon.  The short of it is that they are working on exoskeletons for the military.  This video shows one such system in action:

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/11/video-fix-super.html

Sarcos also built robotic dinosaurs for Universal Studio's Jurassic Park ride.  Here's their home site:

http://www.sarcos.com/

Hopefully the technology will one day help handicapped people too, which would also mean they would be capable of more than a normal person - there's some rough justice in that I think.

[Duskrider]

Interesting.  I'd like to have one of those exoskeletons. 

[Maviarab]

Nice find there again Freddy.

Some very interesting stuff there, lets hope it does one day transfer down and through to the common man for medical purposes etc and a better quality of life for some people

[Freddy]

Interesting.  I'd like to have one of those exoskeletons. 

Me too...  did you see the bit about how eventually they may be able to walk around on their own ?  This could mean I get it to go to the shops when it's freezing outside. 

Mav, yup it would be just the kind of thing that GamerThom could use - let's hope it happens sooner than later.

[Art]

Really fantastic! Did you notice how closely the enclosed prototype / rendition was to the main characters of those 3D FPS games? (First Person Shooter).
Eventually science fiction becomes science fact.

Good find!!

[Duskrider]

"....walk around on his own".

This starting is sound real good,
Yes, I need my exoskeleton now,

Let's see..... 
paint the shed,
trim the front bushes,
sandblast the sidewalk,
beat up my stupid neighbor,
do my job for me at the shop,
spank Sandee once a week, no wait... I'll still do that, 
 

[Freddy]

lol, I sounds like you have been needing an exoskeleton for a while Dusky...

And Art, yes now you mention it, those body shells do look like something straight out of Halo and many other games.

It's also very much like Robocop - I can imagine if the military gets them then the Police forces will probably follow suit, I can see them being used by SWAT teams in some of their more dangerous encounters.

The science-fiction writers are well ahead in the game of predicting the future aren't they...