Special Ops interested in Drugs and more for Supersoldiers and strength enhancing exoskeleton armor
US Special Ops is looking to put Captain America Supersoldiers into HALO exoskeleton Armor.
Innovative solutions that will optimize human performance, reduce recovery time, and increase peak performance sustainability, including increased endurance, strength, energy, agility, enhanced senses, provide restorative effects of sleep, and enhance tolerance to environmental extremes. The technologies can be demonstrated through studies that provide proof of concepts or through solutions demonstrated in humans that quantify operational performance improvements. Technologies should not consist of new software applications, wearables, and additional studies on existing nutraceuticals that have been previously researched in depth.
They are interested in
* Genomics, epigenetics, proteomics, and synthetic biology
* Nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals
* Enhancing metabolic efficiency
* Methods of improving oxygen delivery to muscles
* Reducing the potential for musculoskeletal injury
* Increasing tolerance to pain
* Cognitive Enhancement
* Sleep Restoration
Submissions should consider methods of demonstrating safety and efficacy, and a regulatory approval strategy if required. Proposed solutions do not have to be FDA cleared as a prerequisite, but nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals must be US-sourced. Submitters should have access or partners with access to lab facilities.
Better body Armor Protection and the TALOS (Iron Man) exoskeleton
Previous special ops requests and funding have been for strength enhancing body armor exoskeletons.
USSOCOM seeks technologies that include, but are not limited to, ballistic body armor, helmets, and eye protection, with the major development goals being lighter weight and increased protection. They want improvements for advanced armor materials, including the following:
Mechanical property enhancements in existing armor ceramics through microstructure modifications
Development of new ceramic armor materials
Continued optimization of fiber-based armor materials, to include aramids, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, and their associated resin systems
Investigations into additive manufacturing of armor materials (metals, polymers, and ceramics)
Thin, lightweight and low-cost transparent armor (polymer, glass and ceramic based solutions)
TALOS
Admiral McRaven expects a TALOS exoskeleton system to be fielded by August 2018.
* Reduced impact of load by intelligent weight distribution throughout the body.
* Low power requirement.
* Low suit profile to fit under the existing uniform comfortably.
* Provide sensor cues to soldiers to reduce injuries.
* Integrated components to provide joint support where user needs it most.
* Reapply energy to enhance the efficiency of motion and improve overall metabolics.
* Remain compliant and flexible, stiffening only when needed.
* Have the suit weigh less than 400 lb (180 kg) and generate 12 kW of power for 12 hours.
Although the objective of the program was to incorporate new technologies into a fully powered and integrated suit, components developed under it could be issued individually to troops in the short term to enhance their effectiveness. Non-lethal weapons, new armor materials, more compact communications gear, advanced night vision, and 3-D audio can be used as individual pieces of equipment before they are all put together in one powered exoskeleton. Items developed for TALOS including an increased tactical data storage capability which allows for ten times the capacity of current data storage has transitioned to fulfill an immediate operational requirement, as well as a new armor solution being used for special operations non-standard commercial vehicles. Others systems that will be transitioned include a small, individual soldier SATCOM antenna, an unpowered loadbearing exoskeleton, a powered cooling vest to sustain body temperature, a next generation antenna that includes dynamic tuning, the Future Interoperable Radio Enclosure (FIRE), a tactical radio sleeve for cell phones, lightweight multi-hit ceramic-metallic hybrid armor, and a biosensor-equipped combat shirt that can monitor a soldier's physiological status
