A robotic mannequin with over 100 sensors all over its body has been developed by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence to test out military protective suits and equipment. Unique to the UK, the ‘bot—called the “Porton Man” was developed using Formula One technology and will help shape the next generation of military gear.
“Porton Man” cost £1.1 million to create, around $1.8 million in US currency. The mannequin is able to mimic signals given by soldiers in the field, and is also capable of marching, kneeling, and running. This mannequin has a better movement range than previous models, something that should be helpful during its testing for the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory or DSTL: where soldiers’ clothing is tested against agents used in chemical warfare.
The mannequin was created with carbon composite body parts by i-bodi, a tech firm based in Buckingham, England that makes animatronics and film robotics. According to DSTL Chemical Biological Protection Group principal Dr.Colin Willis, the “goal” of Porton Man is to create suits and equipment for soldiers that balance “protection and physiological burden.”
“It’s really the materials and the fact that he will be exposed to chemical warfare agents, so the material design has been very important, obviously,” said Willis on BBC. “It sounds simple, but when you see the mannequin and the computer controls, it really is a complex piece of machinery.”
The new mannequin is much lighter than the previous unit, weighing in at around 30lbs rather than 176lbs. This loss of weight, along with Porton Man’s increased range of motion and mimicry skills, will allow the DSTL to produce much more effective and safer military equipment and suits.
Source BBC
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