DARPA has tested its robotic load-shifting exoskeleton design on soldiers at Maryland's Aberdeen Proving Ground, according to Popular Science.
While the suits were funded by DARPA, they were designed by Harvard's Wyss Institute and are made of flexible textiles and embedded sensors. The sensors were made to detect strain and support the muscles and joints of soldiers in order to mimic leg movements.
The first look at the exoskeleton came back in late 2014, but this is the first time that the technology has been tested, Forbes reported.
The suit is intended to take on some of the weight that soldiers must carry when walking extended distances, according to IEEE Spectrum. Soldiers often have to carry backpacks and equipment on their travels, and the mechanical support that the exoskeletons provide ensures that the user's muscles expend less energy.
The DARPA exoskeleton is the latest in a long line of military advancements that have been seen in the recent years, following the F-35 fighter helmet that allows pilots to see through a plane, and the Cerberus camera system that expands the role of military dogs on the field.
