Blog #3 (Elysium)

     Imagine being able to hook a mechanical exo-suit into your central nervous system. Each limb of the exo-suit, along with your actual limbs, are then controlled by your thoughts of their movement. The suit enhances your strength to a superhuman level. In the movie Elysium, the main character, Max, uses this kind of exo-suit to try and reach Elysium. Elysium is a space ship with advanced medical care and a perfect living environment. The reason Max is trying to reach Elysium is because he was working in a factory, and was exposed to a lethal amount of radiation. He only has 5 days to live and loses the ability to function normally, causing him to search for another source of strength, in order to reach Elysium and be cured. The only chance he has of making it up to Elysium is by having a device installed into his central nervous system. This device allows him to use the exo-suit and gives him the strength needed to complete his endeavor. Along the way, Max is confronted by three members of the government that also have exo-suits. The enhanced strength capabilities are shown by the men being able to lift each other with ease and being able to force a hydraulic door open. Benefits from suits, like the ones in Elysium, could be very useful for our military or people with disabilities.
     If these suits are able to be controlled with only using brain waves and no physical exertion, the number of people that could be benefitted with this technology is huge. Think of people that suffer from slight paralysis from strokes or different forms of accidents. These people are limited to what their bodies are now capable of, no matter how strong the will is to make their limbs function normally. Even people with cerebral palsy would have a way of moving around and completing tasks with ease.
     Almost every advanced technology is used in military operations. An exo-suit like this would be no different and could be extremely useful. If the soldiers would be required to fight in hand to hand combat, they would have a massive advantage in strength. If a building is bombed and there are men trapped under the rubble, use of these suits could make it possible to lift debris that a normal human wouldn't be able to. Although there would still be some fatigue on the user, there would be far less physical exertion on the body and most of the work would come from the mind. This would allow soldiers to cover more ground in a day and run for longer distances when in the midst of battle.
     The potential benefits offered with a suit like this is remarkable. What is really exciting about all of this, is how close we might be to having exo-suits available for military and medical use. They are still in the early stages of developing such suits, but when they are fully designed they will have a major impact on many lives.