I am a HUGE Robert Heinlein fan. Not only because of his MI Armor but the sense of responsiblilty that his writings also carry. Though that topic isn't what I am going to discuss. If you haven't READ Starship Troopers and you are in anyway interested in this topic, you really should pick up a book or listen to the unabridged audio book. The movie STUNK! It was inaccurate and vulgar in places. The director and screen writer slaughtered the story and its meaning in that travesty of a book to film endeavor. That is my opinion of their "screen license" that they took in bringing the movie to fruition, but I have digressed.
I am going too do a bit of compare and contrast between how the SARCOS team has done in measuring up to one of the more practical descriptions of Advanced Military Grade Armor. Before we do here is a YouTube video that I think fairly demonstrates the state of the SARCOS project as of 2007.
Here are a few quotes describing the MI Armor, from Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers book which was published by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 1959; following each quote I will give a summary of my perception of the SARCOS Team's status.
Our suits give us better eyes, better ears, stronger backs (to carry heavier weapons and more ammo), better legs, more intelligence (in the military meaning...), more firepower, greater endurance, less vulnerability.
Eyes, Ears and intelligence haven't been developed very thoroughly yet.
Legs, Back and endurance capabilities appear to be accomplished to an appriciable level.
The external armor is in need of more work in order to address the vulnerability.
A suit isn't a space suit - although it can serve as one. It is not primarily armor - although the Knights of the Round Table were not armored as well as we are. It isn't a tank - but a single M.I. [Mobile Infantry] private could take on a squadron of those things and knock them off unassisted...
This armored suit portion is in need of work as are the assault capabilities.
...Suited up, you look like a big steel gorilla, armed with gorilla-sized weapons.
This is likely to be the case based on some of the exo-skeletal coverings.
The real genius in the design is that you don't have to control the suit; you just wear it, like your clothes, like skin.
This appears to be the goal of the project and they are off to a good start.
The secret lies in negative feedback and amplification.
I am not sure about this point. I will have to do some more digging.
Since your head is the one part of your body not involved in the pressure receptors controlling the suit's muscles, you use your head -- your jaw muscles, your chin, your neck -- to switch things for you and thereby leave your hands free to fight.
This is an area that to my knowledge hasn't been developed in any clear detail. But it seems reasonable to speculate that a similar form of control would be fairly workable.
A chin plate handles all visual displays the way the jaw switch handles the audios. All displays are thrown on a mirror in front of your forehead from where the work is actually going on above and back of your head.
This is an area that to my knowledge hasn't been developed in any clear detail. But it seems reasonable to speculate that a similar form of control would be fairly workable.
All this helmet gear makes you look like a hydrocephalic gorilla but, with luck, the enemy won't live long enough to be offended by your appearance, and it is a very convenient arrangement; you can flip through your several types of radar displays quicker than you can change channels to avoid a commercial -- catch a range & bearing, locate your boss, check your flank men, whatever.
This is an area that to my knowledge hasn't been developed in any clear detail. But it seems reasonable to speculate that a similar form of control would be fairly workable. The advanced battle ground intelligence system has already developed by the Army and could be integrated into any HUD system.
