Giant mech suits are usually something you see in science fiction or movies: think of the power loader in Aliens. The prosthesis is ready to change all of that. It's a real powered exoskeleton with a human at the controls - and it's ready to race.
Many exoskeletons are wearable machines that can increase human strength or help people regain mobility. Designed and built by Furrion Exo-Bionics, Prosthesis is a 9,000 pound four-legged or four-legged machine that can be used to lift a car, climb over boulders, and walk in snow. The ultimate goal, however, is to advance an entirely new sport of mech racing.
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Imagine these giant mech suits racing down a parkour course with obstacles and heavy objects to push or pull, and you have an idea of where the sport is going. "The goal was to make the most rudimentary walking machine possible," says Jonathan Tippett, co-founder and chief test pilot. "We had four legs because the pilot has four limbs and the machine has the wide stable form factor so that it can be easily balanced."
Furrion Exo-Bionics
The prosthesis has been in development for over 10 years, but now it's time for the mech suit to make its public debut. The first professional female athlete to sit in the driver's seat was Cassie Hawrysh, a Canadian skeleton champion. During an intensive three-day training session in which she learned to control the 'Mech, she managed to take a step in the four-legged friend. "It was like a monumental event for us," she says, "but I also fell flat on Proothes face a couple of times, which was funny and terrifying because you fell from a height."
Watch the video on this page for more information on the mech suit and how to control this 15 foot tall machine.
The best part? You can register yourself as a mech pilot. Furrion Exo-Bionics offers everyone the opportunity to become an alpha pilot through a crowdfunding campaign.
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