The typical U.S. soldier carries more than 100 pounds of gear when in the field. Heavy loads increase the likelihood of musculoskeletal injury and also exacerbate fatigue, which contributes to both acute and chronic injury and impedes soldiers’ physical and cognitive abilities to perform mission-critical tasks.
Lightweight exoskeletons currently under development will give soldiers superhuman strength. For instance, Lockheed Martin recently created a device called the human universal load carrier (HULC). The hydraulically powered HULC features a titanium frame that allows soldiers to easily carry loads of up to 200 pounds.