Technology has certainly moved by leaps and bounds over the years, so much so that tests need not involve humans any more, as robots are able to do the trick. Take the Porton Man robot mannequin for example – this robot is capable of running, sitting and even to mimic the movement of a soldier, costing £1.1 million and developed using Formula 1 technology. The role of the Porton Man? To test protective suits and equipment.
This is made possible thanks to the inclusion of specially installed sensors that number more than a hundred over its body that will be able to record data during tests. According to the Porton Man’s developers, the sensors would be able to assist them to come up with the next generation of protective gear.
The Ministry of Defence also mentioned that this new animatronic mannequin will be unique to the UK, where it was specially developed for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), which is the same place where clothing systems for soldiers are tested against nasty variables such as chemical warfare agents. The robot itself is capable of marching and kneeling, and hopefully tests involving Porton Man will see lighter protective suits for the military developed. This is not the first robot mannequin that we have seen, and it definitely does not look like it will be the last!
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