DARPA Selects Contractors For Soldier Exoskeleton Program 

Defense Daily - March 14, 2001

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has selected the
University of California-Berkeley, Sarcos Research, Oak Ridge National
Laboratories and Millenium Jet to develop technologies for exoskeletons that
could increase the speed, strength and endurance of soldiers. 

Known as Exoskeletons for Human Performance Augmentation (EHPA), the program
is a $50 million initiative started by DARPA last year (Defense Daily, March
29). 

DARPA envisions that the exoskeletons could enable soldiers to carry more and
larger weapons, more armor and supplies, and have a greater ability to clear
obstacles. Michael Andrews, the Army's chief scientist, recently said that
EHPA technologies could be used for the service's new Objective Force Warrior
program, funding for which is to be requested with the FY '02 budget (Defense
Daily, March 1). 

While several higher profile aerospace and defense companies, including
Boeing, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and
Rockwell, showed an initial interest in the EHPA program during a teaming
workshop last year, none were selected for research and development
contracts. DARPA received 23 proposals from its formal EHPA solicitation last
June. 

Two of the contractors, Sarcos and Oak Ridge, have been selected to develop
full-body exoskeletons. Under a $8.5 million effort, Oak Ridge plans to use a
sodium borohydride-fueled proton exchange fuel cell to power a full-body
enhancement system with distributed closed-loop, peizo-hydraulic actutators.
Oak Ridge's system is expected to weigh about 90 pounds and be able to carry
250 to 300 pounds for 24 hours. 

Unique Combustion Process 

Sarcos was awarded a $9.9 million contract last month to develop a full- body
exoskeleton design known as "Wearable Energetically Autonomous Robots." The
system will use a unique combustion process that produces hot gas in discrete
and highly-controlled amounts that are then used by pneumatic-type actuators
to control movement. 

Sarcos intends to show a fully-operational lower-extremity prototype in 2003,
while both Oak Ridge and Sarcos are to demonstrate full-body prototypes by
2005. 

Additionally, UC-Berkeley, has been awarded an $11 million grant to work on
the development of its "Lower Extremity Enhancer." The exoskeleton is planned
to use distributed, pneumatic actuators powered by a hydrogen peroxide
monopropellant. The system is intended to weigh about 50 pounds and be
capable of carrying a 150-pound load at speeds of 8 mph for 12 hours. 

The grant is expected to be awarded shortly to UC-Berkeley by the Army
Research Office. A completely functional prototype is to be demonstrated in
two years to validate the design architecture and controller methodology. A
fully integrated prototype powered by hydrogen peroxide would be demonstrated
in 2005. 

Millenium Jet, meanwhile, was awarded a $5.1 million agreement at the end of
last year to develop its "SoloTrek XFV" one-man vertical takeoff and landing
vehicle under the EHPA program. Using two ducted fans, the XFV will be able
to fly for three hours at speeds of about 80 mph, the company said. Millenium
Jet hopes to begin full-powered static testing of its first prototype in the
first quarter of next year, followed by tethered flight in the middle of the
year, free hover by the end of next year and a full demonstration of the test
vehicle by 2003 (Defense Daily, Dec. 19). 

A follow-on phase of the EHPA program, which calls for testing and evaluating
the EHPA prototypes in military environments, is to be awarded to the most
successful efforts. 

DARPA has also picked two other contractors to develop innovative power-
producing devices. If successful, these technologies could be integrated into
exoskeleton designs and other applications, DARPA said. 

Arthur D. Little is to be awarded a $2 million contract by the Army Research
office for a "Chemo-Hydraulic Actuated Power System." The system is designed
to use modified methylacetylene propadiene gas-powered hydraulic system
currently used in commercial nail guns to power a self-contained, closed-loop
actuator. 

M-Dot Aerospace will be awarded a $1.7 million contract to develop its
"Turbo-Alternator Power Plant." The alternator is intended to generate two
kilowatts of electric power and run on diesel or other heavy fuels.

Sarcos - http://www.sarcos.com/
Oak Ridge National Laboratories - http://www.ornl.gov/
EHPA - http://www.arpa.mil/DSO/solicitations/00/Baa00-34/cbd.htm
Millennium Jet - http://www.millenniumjet.com/
UC Berkeley Human Engineering Lab - http://www.me.berkeley.edu/hel/