The U.S. Navy will be testing and evaluating two Fortis exoskeletons ordered by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, in hopes of being able to drastically decrease fatigue when handling heavy equipment while increasing productivity.

All Navy ships require daunting physical tasks in order to keep the ship operable and secure. Whether it's loading war material like weapons or simply executing any repairs with power tools, the exoskeleton will give the user more strength and stamina, which will extend the amount of time before showing signs of fatigue.

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The Fortis exoskeleton is unpowered, so it doesn't necessarily give the user superhuman strength. It works by transferring the weight of an object or equipment that's held from the user, down through the exoskeleton directly to the ground. This process is said to allow the user to effortlessly lift up to 36 pounds as if it were weightless.

The concept is similar to what filmmakers call the "steadicam," where operators are able to effortlessly and efficiently hold the camera for extended hours. 

As mentioned, the exoskeleton isn't going to allow a Navy sailor to lift thousands of pounds like the science fiction aspiration of Iron Man, but it will allow the use of different power tools and equipment without difficulty that can easily take a toll and cause exhaustion to the average person over long periods of use. 

The Fortis exoskeletons were created by Lockheed Martin, which is an advanced technology company who focuses on aerospace, defense and security. Lockheed claims the Fortis exoskeleton can decrease fatigue by 300 percent and can improve productivity by as high as over 2,000 percent. The exoskeleton is also very flexible as the user will be able to stand, bend and kneel without actually preventing or slowing down normal movements.

The U.S. Navy is the first to acquire the Fortis exoskeleton to be evaluated and implemented for industrial use.  

TagsU.S. Navy, Fortis Exoskeletons, NCMS, Lockheed Martin