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At some point in our lives, we have all daydreamed about what it would be like to possess the climbing prowess of Spiderman, Superman's X-ray vision, or the godly strength of Thor. For generations of techies before us, this desire for super-human abilities may have been nothing more than a pipe dream—but now it's possible to walk in the shoes of our favorite crime fighters with wearable tech.
These 5 real-life tech wearables are the first steps toward understanding how technology can help us amplify our senses and make better use of our bodies.
1. H.U.L.C. Exoskeleton
The H.U.L.C. (Human Universal Load Carrier) Exoskeleton, developed jointly by Lockheed Martin and Berkley Bionics, allows soldiers to carry up to 200 pounds of weight while barely breaking a sweat. The Hydraulic-Powered Anthropomorphic Exoskeleton can function for 48 hours or 480 miles on a single charge, and allows for full range of motion. Models designed for medical and industrial applications are also available—if you have the cash, this is as close as you can get to having super-human strength and stamina.
2. GeckSkin
Gecko's are natural climbers, able to support their entire body weight with one toe. Draper Laboratories, funded by DARPA's Zmen Project, developed a material polymer microstructure technology based on the toe pads of Geckos that allows humans to scale walls with the assistance of only two hand-held adhesive panels. The GeckSkin adhesive panels only work on smooth surfaces like glass and metal, and allow climbers to transport the weight of their own body and limited supplies. Not quite Spider Man, but pretty neat.
3. Ocumetics' Bionic Lens
While Lasik technology has advanced significantly in recent years, science has yet to offer a solution that can give us better than 20/15 vision. What if, with a simple 8-minute procedure, you could have vision up to 3x better than 20/20? Ocumetics Technology Corporation has developed a "bionic lens" that is placed in the eye via a simple surgery similar to that performed to remedying cataracts. While Ocumetics' bionic lenses are still undergoing medical trials, if they are proven safe they will be on the market within two years.
4. Camero Xaver Through-Wall Radar
Using 3D, ultra-wide band radiation technology, Camero's Xaver line of products allows military and law enforcement to see through walls. The technology is currently used by the Department of Homeland Security for airport security screenings—each time you walk through the security line at the airport, you witness the technology that could enable us to have x-ray vision like Superman.
5. Here Earbuds
Imagine being able to crank up the bass at your favorite concert, mute your mother when she is lecturing you, and turn up the volume on the girls gossiping in the corner at work. Here Earbuds could be your solution. The earbuds work by using a set of outward-facing microphones that capture sound and send it through a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) and into your ears without any lag. The earbuds are adjustable, and can filter out background noise, amplify specific sounds, or even augment and enhance sounds. Here Earbuds are available for pre-order now, and will be shipping in March 2017.
Technology currently offers plenty of amazing ways to supplement your senses, boost your physical strength, and defy gravity. The limits of what our bodies can do will continue to be challenged, and our dreams of being just like our favorite super heroes will come closer and closer to reality. These 5 tech wearables are just the beginning, and you can purchase most of them within the next 2 years—suit up and get ready.