Jetpack-assisted soldiers might be a thing of the future

Jason Kerestes, a graduate student at Arizona State University (ASU), has developed a jetpack that can help people run faster while reducing metabolic cost, the amount of energy needed to maintain high speeds.

 

In one test situation, the runner was able to cover the distance 3 seconds faster while carrying the jetpack, an extra 11.2 pounds.

 

Dubbed 4MM, short for 4 Minute Mile, the developers are eyeing potential military applications for the jetpack. If used by soldiers, it can help them get in and out of areas much faster than they would normally. This could help reduce casualties and loss of life.

 

The 4MM project was undertaken as part of the iProjects program of ASU, where students and industry members are brought together to foster research into possible solutions for real-world problems. — Bea Montenegro/VC, GMA News