Game Theory: Halo, Power Armor in Real Life

Transcript

Activate your bubble shield and pull out your shotgun, 'cause this is Spartan! [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme plays.] Hello internet and welcome to Game Theory, the show that's almost as satisfying as the celebratory teabag after a well-placed headshot. Almost. This week begins a shameless grab to expand my viewership by tackling some of ga... Read More

Key Insights

• "Power armor is not to be confused with mech suits." (1:01)
• "According to the game's official wiki the suit amplifies force, doubles lifting capacity, and speeds up reaction time by a factor of five." (1:56)
• "Pretty awesome, except for the fact that the full suit weighed in at 1500 pounds and would occasionally break out into violent uncontrolled motion, much like me on a dance floor." (2:54)
• "According to Cyberdyne it increases the strength of the wearer about ten-fold." (4:37)

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the difference between power armor and a mech suit?

A mech has a person sitting inside and piloting it, much like a car. Power armor functions as part of the wearer's body, which is why its real-world counterpart is called a powered exoskeleton.

Q: How does Halo's Mjolnir armor enhance Master Chief's abilities?

Mjolnir connects directly to a Spartan's central nervous system and translates the brain's electrochemical signals into digital commands for movement. According to the game's official wiki, it amplifies force, doubles lifting capacity, and makes reaction time five times faster.

Q: Can an ordinary person wear Halo's Mjolnir armor?

No, the transcript says ordinary humans cannot use it. The armor requires skeletal augmentation, and the suit itself weighs about 1,000 pounds.

Q: What could the Hardiman powered exoskeleton do?

Developed by the US military and GE during the 1960s, the Hardiman made lifting 250 pounds feel like lifting 10 pounds. However, the full suit weighed 1,500 pounds, was difficult to remove, and sometimes moved violently out of control, so the project was scrapped.

Q: What are the capabilities of Monty Reed's life suit?

The compressed-air-powered life suit was conceived after US ranger Monty Reed broke his back in a parachute accident. Fourteen iterations later, it had helped the paralyzed walk, could lift over 200 pounds, and could travel three miles in 90 minutes.

Q: How strong is the Raytheon Sarcos exoskeleton?

The Raytheon Sarcos exoskeleton provides a full range of motion and almost limitless endurance. The demonstration described in the transcript shows a person repeatedly lifting 200 pounds, while carrying 150 pounds feels like nothing.

Q: How does Cyberdyne's Hal Five powered suit work?

Hal Five senses electrical impulses in the skin and uses them to predict the wearer's desired motion from likely movements. Cyberdyne says it increases the wearer's strength about tenfold, and the transcript gives a rental price of $1,000 per month.

Q: How does Troy Hurtubise's Trojan armor compare with Halo armor?

The Canadian-designed Trojan focuses on protection rather than powered movement. The transcript describes it as resistant to clubs, knives, bullets, and explosions, with equipment including pepper spray, emergency lights, a tracking device, a voice recorder, and a miniature scouting car with video feedback.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Power armor, like Master Chief's Mjolnir suit, amplifies strength and reaction time while being integrated with the user's nervous system.

• Historical power suit prototypes like the Hardiman and modern exoskeletons like Raytheon's Sarcos grant enhanced abilities and endurance.

• Cyberdyne's Hal suit from Japan utilizes electrical impulses to predict user movements, amplifying strength tenfold.