U.S. Navy Wants to Build Gordon Freeman's Power Suit, Sort of...
U.S. Navy Wants to Build Gordon Freeman's Power Suit, Sort of...
November 4, 2008
Gizmodo reports that the Office of Naval Research has funded a team at the University of California San Diego to begin developing what amounts to a power suit similar to that worn by Gordon Freeman, protagonist of Valve's uber-popular Half-Life series:
The system will monitor a few biomarkers for deviations from safe levels, at which point it will automatically medicate its wearer...
...the military applications are what's exciting about this. Take a current soldier's body armor, night vision goggles and communications equipment, throw in an automatic medical treatment unit and voila! You've basically got Gordon Freeman's HEV suit. There is no indication that the suit will make the satisfying "uhhuummuhhuummuhhuumm" sound like Mr. Freeman's, but there's no indication that it won't, either.
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Posted 02/09/10 at 03:02pm
Valdearg: @DS: Im sure that's what they'd do if it wasn't legal to just tell Gays/TG's to "Screw off," just because they're who they are.
Valdearg: @DS: Im sure that's what they'd do if it wasn't legal to just tell Gays/TG's to "Screw off," just because they're who they are.
Posted 02/09/10 at 02:50pm
DarkSaber: Whoever told him/her/it that is dumb. They should have done like most companies and made-up some bullshit, yet legal, reason for it not getting the job.
DarkSaber: Whoever told him/her/it that is dumb. They should have done like most companies and made-up some bullshit, yet legal, reason for it not getting the job.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:16pm
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Andrew Eisen: Shouldn't be. Spirit of anti-discrimination laws would seem to include sexual orientation (and eye color). Plus there's always equal protection and such. Never know until you try.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:10pm
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Andrew Eisen: Should have sued (unless that wasn't an option given her financial situation or something). Might have won.
Posted 02/09/10 at 01:00pm
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Valdearg: Story about a Male to Female TG who was expressly told she wouldn't be given a job because she was TG. Its not the main point of the story, but explicit, perfectly legal discrimination like this exists.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:53pm
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Valdearg: Lol, I don't know. It may very well be legal to do so. Though that might able to fall under the "race" restriction, depending on how that point is argued.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Valdearg: I don't think they do have any legal recourse. I'll have to dig around, but I seriously believe that if the law doesn't specifically mention Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity, they can still be discriminated against in those 29 states.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:51pm
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Andrew Eisen: Eye color isn't covered either but I doubt it would be considered legal to refuse to hire people with green eyes.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:48pm
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
Andrew Eisen: My explanation is longer than the Shoutbox will allow. Suffice to say that while those who are discriminated against do have legal recourse, anti-discrimination law should specifically cite sexual orientation so that there’s no question about it.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:42pm
Valdearg: "There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression." From the Human Rights Campaign.
Valdearg: "There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; it remains legal in 29 states, and in 38 states to do so based on gender identity or expression." From the Human Rights Campaign.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:40pm
Valdearg: @AE: Why don't you think I'm correct? I know Wiki could be flawed, but as far as it says, its up to date as of June 2009.
Valdearg: @AE: Why don't you think I'm correct? I know Wiki could be flawed, but as far as it says, its up to date as of June 2009.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:39pm
Andrew Eisen: I don't think you're right but I really don't know and don't have the time to find out. However things actually are, it's very clear how they actually should be.
Andrew Eisen: I don't think you're right but I really don't know and don't have the time to find out. However things actually are, it's very clear how they actually should be.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:34pm
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal." I would disagree. If there's no laws against it, it makes it perfectly legal. It's definitely not right, but perfectly legal to do.
Valdearg: "just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal." I would disagree. If there's no laws against it, it makes it perfectly legal. It's definitely not right, but perfectly legal to do.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Valdearg: Meaning in 29 states, private sector discrimination against gays is perfectly legal.. Sickening.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:33pm
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Valdearg: 19 states have no protections, and another 10 only have protections for public sector jobs.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:32pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Andrew Eisen: Well, most businesses have equal rights policies in place and just because there's no specific state level protection for it, doesn't make discrimination right or legal. Still, no argument against adding such protections.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Valdearg: More information. Apparently, it's worse than I actually thought.
Posted 02/09/10 at 12:28pm
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
Valdearg: Check the link. Apparently, its more like 20 states that have no protections.
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Comments
Very cool indeed. And JT says video games only causes problems... haha
That suit is absolutly useless. What kind of hazard suit cant go through hazards??? It can't go through radioactive waste, it can't go through steam, can't go through fire, it can't take bullets very well, also can't go through electrical currents, doesn't protect you from explosions. Useless. Absolutly useless. For hazardous enviroments at normal, stereal, at STP.
It's so true. That haz-mat suit Gordon wore was pretty much worthless.
You don't know that; think about how much damage Gordon WOULD take without that suit. And even if it didn't...
IT LOOKS TOTALLY AWESOME!
Are you serious? Are you saying that you think you could go through the ridiculous punishment that Gordon Freeman does without a suit? Hundreds of bullet wounds, lacerations, falls, impacts, and so on?
A normal person blasted with steam could be maimed or killed by it. Most people die from less than a handful of bullet wounds; you'd frankly be lucky to survive being shot ONCE. Just because the armor doesn't make you invincible doesn't mean that it's not a monumental improvement over natural human durability.
I expect Hazardous Enviroment Suit to allow me to pass through small pockets of radioactive material... This Hazard suit does not protect you from many hazards.... Bullets are reasonable, but electrical currents? steam? even a small fire, Radioactive material which would be an every day object in Black Mesa? Those are hazards that the Hazardous enviroment suit can't save you from.
Again, you're misconcieving invulnerablity for protection. Just because it doesn't stop EVERYTHING, doesn't mean it won't prevent the bulk of the damage.
What the Half-Life games didn't show you is how quickly Gorden would get his ass kicked without the suit. And he DID go everywhere without the helmet, so it's not like there was a perfect seal.
Still, I encourage you to compare walking through a fire in a flame retardant suit, and then without. Compare notes and see if your hypothesis still holds. Feel free to try this with a hazmat suit and radioactive materials, too.
Actually, they did show what'd happen to him without the suit. Notice all those scientists in white lab coats that got totally rocked? Yeah...that would have been Gordon.
Uh, yes it did, or did you not play threw the opening to Half Life 2? There is a brief segment where you can be sugmeneted to enemy fire before you get the suit.
I still expect it to do reasonably well in adverse conditions. This thing can't even go through a freezer without damaging!
Acctualy, in Half Life 2 you are not effected by radiation unless you directly contact the source, that could easily be atributted to the suit protecting you from the radioactive material's well... radiation?
Not to mention the core in episode 1.
I am surprised they dont secretly already have this... They have some top secret planes that wont be unclassified for a good decade that are utterly amazing though... They can go ungodly speeds, and use less fuel than flying normally at normal speeds. What they say they want to have in 30 years, they already have typically.
In that case, maybe they DO already have it, and just haven't revealed he fact yet. :-) The funding is just a trick, or to check and see whether this team's research will maybe bring to light some new ideas for the working model of the suit.
Good thing we have dedicated Internet Detectives such as yourself bringing these military secrets to light.
Oh I'm sure they have a lot more than than this. At the risk of sounding the crackpot conspiracy theorist they've got to have more than they let on. The thought of having a full suit of rigid "powered" armor is the next natural evolution of warfare. We've already seen a serious shift in the recent past in tactics focusing toward small teams. So would it not follow that military R&D would focus on making those units more effective?
I want to know when they're going to develop the Gravity Gun. And the Portal Gun.
Now you're thinking with portals. Fuck...now I want to go play that game again.
Heh, that was perfect. I actually WANT the Gravity Gun. Any idea if they plan on making the organic version?
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"Game on, brothers and sisters." -Leet Gamer Jargon
They've been working on that tech for the past 15 years. It was called Task Force 21 in the '90s and their main purpose was to test enhancements and replacements for then current tech.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
My dreams have all come true. What will come next? Perhaps a good mario movie? Maybe the army will develop mario armor. ahhh its nice too have tech these days
But Mario dies everytime someone throws a mushroom at him.
What about the vaguely British female voice? Will it have that too?
More importantly, will the flashlight be usable for more than 30 seconds at a time?