You guys don't seem to quite grasp what it is that confuses me. I get the concept, but the
Alien contraption had
controls. Your own limbs wouldn't really be part of the apparatus, they'd only control it separately from inside the framework. This other thing just looks like an exoskeleton, where your own hands would physically be holding something, and the suit is just supposed to reinforce that, not do it
for you as an extension of yourself. It just seems like a fundamental paradox to have it require input from you first. The only way I can see it working is reading muscle contractions or something. Or getting electric signals and interpreting them, though I can't imagine that working reliably.
Fuck it. I'm reading the article. I just hope after all this it actually says how the thing works, or I'm going to go crazy every time I see this thread.
...
Aha! We have answers. The machine doesn't detect movement on your part. In fact, it's actually hooked up to your muscles and, no kidding, detects electric signals to activate. Wild.
The suit has special pads which attach to muscles and detect electrical signals form the brain. As the muscle moves, so does the suit, augmenting the power of movements. Special care is taken to respect the range of motion and not go too fast, so as not to damage delicate tendons, ligaments, and bones.
Well, my mind is blown. I'll tell you what, though, you'd never get me into one of those things until the tech has had a few dozen years to prove itself.
