The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working on a jetpack that will let you run four miles in a minute.
The project will be developed at Arizona State University (ASU) and will aim towards increasing the running speeds of soldiers, according to PC Magazine.
"Everybody has always wanted to fly, and whenever people hear the term jetpack, that's what they really think about," said Jason Kerestes, lead researcher of the project. "So what we've done is we've reduced the amount of force so we're not able to fly with our jetpack, but we have instantaneous thrust and we can pretty much trigger it to allow for faster movements, agile motions, and so forth."
Soldiers that use the jetpack, called the 4 Minute Mile (4MM) will be able to achieve this speed even if they're not very fast or if they're carrying heavy equipment and armor, Engadget reported.
Runners that tested the 11-pound jetpack were able to shave seconds off their running time. However, the ASU research team must conduct more tests in order to reach their 4-minute mile goal.
Kerestes said the 4MM can play a huge role in the success of missions and the amount of lives saved, PC Magazine reported.
"In a warfare-type arena, this could potentially be the difference between life and death," he said. "If you think of a Navy SEAL or an Army soldier that has to get in somewhere quick and do whatever they gotta do, but maybe get out of there just as quickly. So these devices can really help soldiers not only accomplish their goals and succeed in the missions, but potentially save human lives as well."
