Turkey has developed a powered and light weight mechanical external skeleton or exoskeleton that allows soldiers and policemen to travel longer distances with less fatigue, among other advantages.

Its first exoskeleton system is called ASYA, an acronym for the Turkish phrase, "Askeri Yürüyüş Asistanı," which means Military Walking Assistant.

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ASYA was designed to increase the performance of soldiers and policemen by facilitating walking, running, climbing and jumping. It transfers the load bearing effort from the leg and arm muscles to the battery powered mechanical appendages strapped to the sides of the body.

ASYA was developed by ASELSAN, a defense contractor based in Ankara that designs, develops and manufactures modern electronic systems for military and industrial customers. ASELSAN is the largest in its industry.

The Turkish Armed Forces expects ASYA to enhance the mobility of its combat infantry and the Special Forces Command. ASYA will also benefit the men of the Gendarmerie of the Turkish Republic, an armed general law enforcement organization that maintains security, safety and public order.

ASYA is a wearable device designed for ease of us and with the flexibility to allow fast movements. It suitable for extreme situations and will allow users to cover much longer distances without tiring too fast.

ASYA will be compatible with other ASELSAN battlefield devices such as wearable computers; smart battlefield goggles and command computers. It will be integrated with the CENKER control system developed for the command and control of individual soldiers and tactical units.

A prototype of ASYA will be presented at the International Defense Industry Fair '17 (IDEF), which will take place in Istanbul this May. 

TagsTurkey, Exoskeleton, ASYA, Askeri Yürüyüş Asistanı, Military Walking Assistant, ASELSAN, Turkish Armed Forces