The Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, is being developed by engineers at MIT; the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM); and researchers at other businesses and academic institutions. Prototypes of the suit, which is designed to provide protection from bullets and is equipped with a variety of sensors and cameras, are being assembled and could be ready for the military to test in June, reported Military.com.
The TALOS technology will be rigorously tested, and military personnel hope to have operational systems in the field by August 2018, according to Navy Adm. William McRaven, head of the U.S. Special Operations Command.
"That suit, if done correctly, will yield a revolutionary improvement in survivability and capability for special operators," McRaven said at the 25th annual Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict conference this week in Washington, D.C., according to Military.com.
The suit includes features such as 360-degree cameras with built-in night vision capabilities, sensors that can detect injuries and apply wound-sealing foam, and bulletproof armor.
Eventually, the TALOS systems may include full-body exoskeletons complete with screens that display information about a soldier's surroundings, according to Military.com.
The technology could give American soldiers a "huge comparative advantage over our enemies and give our warriors the protection they need," McRaven said.
