Hmm, Cyberdyne...

Is SkyNet next? Are Terminators about to become reality?

OMG! As soon as these come to the US I am so buying one!

Heck yeah, that is totally cool, I want one.

I got to see how I am going to integrate this into my supercomputer. Say, has anyone trademarked SkyNet yet?

brb, IronMan

Skynet Worldwide may have that trademark locked up already. Maybe.

I cannot fathom that this would be the end price. I remember seeing something before talking about 20k.

I still can't believe someone would name their robot company Cyberdyne from the Terminator films and their product HAL after the crazed computer in 2001.

Yes, the military has been working on this concept. http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,188820,00.html?ESRC=army.nl

exo-squad here we come.

I have RSD (nerve damage) in my left leg this could help with the weakness in the leg for me.

If it is this cheap now I guess it will be really affordable in a couple of years. In that case, I'd be interested. I used to love hiking but due to spinal arthritis I can no longer do that... just when my kids are teenagers and I would love to take them hiking. If it helps someone like me and makes it possible to walk for longer distances and carry a rucksack up a mountain then it would be worth every penny!

This is a godsend for all of us with mobility issues! I wonder if it would be covered by healthcare, like scooters and chairs are now. What joy it would be to walk "under my own power" so to speak! Yep, I want one!!!

I could see the use of this in the orthotics field for rehabilitation and in my case a bad knee that can't be replaced yet due to being to young and other medical conditions that make surgery a high risk right now. Would mak getting around easier and looks compact enough to easily get in and out of a vehicle. But as pointed out, the US gov't has been working on this too as shown in Popular Science sometime ago. However this one looks more compact and user friendly. Heck, looks better than using the Wii.

this is all very nice and the idea to help those with mobility problems is a good one,but it wont take long before it is warped and twisted to use for bad purpose's.

As a halo fan, let me be the first to say: Coo! :D

I see I was beaten to the Cyberdyne=SkyNet comment.

I would integrate body armor on it and become a super villain. Sorry Leslie. All kidding aside, that is pretty cool.

Actually, as a colaberator, the OVERLORDS have promised me a much better one with a zero point power source in the NEW WORLD ORDER which
will harmonically converge in 2012. Not as good as the model that will be issued to the faithful OBAMMATRONS, but they will need them to stamp out the puny TEAPARTYZOIDS who DARE question OUR DEAR LEADER, TELEPROMTICUS and his AVATAR, the blessed "O"

i guess the only thing that i'm skeptical about is how practical this can be. the way i see it, unless the Japanese have developed some amazing new energy source (and i wouldn't put it passed them) then this suit has to have either an extremely short operating time before recharge or it will not provide much of an advantage to the wearer. maybe you can lift 500 lbs over your head and not break a sweat but for only 30 seconds or maybe you can run the thing all day but only lift 20 lbs more than you could have to start with. Now maybe i'm wrong so please tell me if i am, but we've just had the promise of powered exoskeleton dangled in front of our eyes for so long only to find that we missed the fine print that i have become a bit of a cynical about this kind of thing

I'm still holding out for the bionic implants. I want to be able to run fast, super strong, jump high and long, super vision and hearing.

Skynet is the name of a fleet of satellites used by Loral Aerospace.

Naw, the real Skynet will hack into the suits as they are being used - making the user into a termintor-like cyborg. bwahahahaaa

I wonder how much this company had to pay out to James Cameron for copyright infringement...

Of course, the first time you try to clean and jerk your new hybrid Hummer, as the arms and legs flex and the back straightens, your fingers are ripped right off your hands. Or maybe there is a "gauntlet upgrade?" Seriously, a few more advancements on these and all of those Hoverounds are toast.

Jman: ur KOrrect in ur thinkin'--just a matter of amps stored::#ergs, right? And I'm not aware of any storage tech in that size/price range that comes even close to giving the sort of time/power curve that is implied in this story. Very sad, and maybe I'm wrong. OTOH, 10 stars for coolness.

Yes I want one but I want the Optional Night Vision, Jet pack, and mini chain gun on the wrist!!!

What kind of battery life does it have?

Power
Battery Drive
Charged battery( AC100V)
Continuous operating time
Approximately 2 hours 40 minutes

As a bedridden paraplegic I definatey could find a use for one. I can only walk 80 feet with crutches which excludes hunting, fishing or walks in the park. Hope they will be sold i the US & that the VA or social security will help to cover aquisition costs.

Why? WHY would you name your company Cyberdyne??

...Geez. It's like no one takes lessons from these things anymore.

OMG if my Mother In Law got one locked doors would be splintered and I would have unwanted company. AAAGH!! I would have to buy one to escape and fight back.

To Galeon's question about Skynet, yes, the UK is using a system called Skynet to control their armed, aerial drones. Just tempting fate, that is.

True, it wouldn't work long if you were doing heavy lifting unless you had it plugged in somewhere, but from what I've read about it, it would last a decent while for those using it to enhance their mobility. It would have kept my dad out of a wheelchair (and he would still be alive) and been cheaper than that motorized chair he had by a good bit (not to mention the modifications to the van for the chair). Yes, it can be twisted for military purposes, but that does not outweigh the incredible benefits and cost savings gained by the exoskeleton. The US government buying several thousand of these would actually save us millions and immensely improve the quality of life for thousands of people.

"wont take long before it is warped and twisted to use for bad purpose's" L.D

Everything is in that category L. A hypodermic needle can deliver medicine to heal or drugs to waste. Even a tool as simple as a shovel can be warped and twisted. The only way to keep this from happening is to kill everyone and let the cockroaches have it. Don't let the darkness of some put a shadow of sadness over every bright spot that comes along.

leslie.d, jdmimic, would you think it's warped when it saves our soldiers live? Or if it is used by a cop to save you? So what if it get guns and armor? This stuff (sadly) needed to protect our country from murders, Iraq's soldiers, and other people who only want death. If it could save the lives of good soldiers, and protect our freedom, then is it really so bad? A tool is neutral, and is only good or bad if the person using it is. A gun is not bad, people can shoot paper targets and animals for fun(the paper) and food(the animals).

I to am disabled and this sounds like it would be such a wonderful tool to have, to gain back what i gave up in defending this country. to be able to walk like a man again, words cant describe. but like most things, this will probably turn out to be some sick guys idea of a joke. freedom isnt free, but its worth fighting for. it was worth the sacrifice.

Hmm blueman is right '
Cyberdyne and then those suits will take u over.

@whatever: dude, did you read my post? I posted in SUPPORT of the exoskeleton. I never said it was warped. I posted in response to Leslie saying it was bad because it could be used militarily. I said the exoskeleton was a GOOD thing.
In response to your comment, I have no problem with it being used militarily, although I don't think it will be practical for a while yet. The exoskeleton is hardly Iron Man. Besides, in a country (I'm American) that would prefer to spend billions on weapons systems nobody uses but can't give its soldiers decent body armor, do you really think the government is going to spend a fortune on single person systems like you describe? Personally, with all the equipment a modern solder is supposed to carry, I think they could really use a practical exoskeleton that would help them out.
I just don't think that the military is the most important use for it. I think the most important use is helping people be mobile. There are so many people this could help and save us money in the process we should be buying lots of these.
Everything doesn't have to be about guns and killing other people. We can be more civilized and evolved than that. We can, say, try to use our technology to HELP people, rather than kill them more efficiently. Several people besides me have posted here saying the same thing.
In this case, the technology is capable of helping people NOW. It can also be used militarily LATER after refinement and improvement.

Predator drones are just the forerunner of the flying hunter/killers in Terminator. We are already in the process of building robot soldiers. SkyNet is just the Internet by another name. Man has a history of making advanced technology without trying to figure out the unintended consequences. All that remains to make Terminator full reality is the day the Internet becomes self aware and capable of making decisions.

SkyNet has been and gone in 2 forms.
1: When Sky and Easynet merged they initially called the new ISP venture SkyNet.
2: When I worked in a local internet cafe we bought some bankrupt stock from a company. In this stock was a partial backup set for something called SkyNet. We had about 40% of the backups.

Still very eerie use of those product/company names considering the material.

Yes I still want one of those suits though :)

If they used a Hydrogen power source it could last a lot longer. I read that a hydrogen cell phone battery would run a cell phone for 3 weeks if talked on continuously (type of cell phone was not stated so I'm guessing little cheap phone). But with hydrogen power the user could just stop by the fueling station and fill up like you do your car with whatever hydrogen solution they decide to use so you're not a walking bomb. They also have a heat recovery system that produces energy from the heat in the air... I don't know all the details but it seems cool if it really works. There are lots of energy systems out there that work much better than just a battery or a gasoline engine.

Can't wait to see the TV ads selling these things to old and fat people and explaining how you can get one "at little or no cost to you". "Between my insurance and medicare I didn't pay a single penny out of my pocket."