Engineers Built Huge Mechanical Exoskeleton. Inspired by the Power Loader From Aliens?

Exoskeletons—specially designed mech suits that grant their wearers superpowers—have long been the stuff of science fiction, but that's changing today. From racing to assisting chain supply workers in daily tasks, they are being increasingly used around the world, and this is just the beginning.

On the side of fun and entertainment, the team at the YouTube channel Hacksmith Industries has been building a massive mechanical exoskeleton since January 2019. And yes, it was inspired by the P-5000 Power Loader, which is a commercial mechanized exoskeleton used for lifting heavy materials and objects, from James Cameron's Aliens.

His Power Loader is based on the chassis of a compact tracked skid-steer loader, with the existing hydraulic power unit feeding all of the upper body hydraulic cylinders, according to Hackaday. The upper body was made up of plasma-cut steel sections that were welded together, and the whole thing is operated using a Raspberry Pi-based industrial control system. The onboard pilot can use a pair of simulator flight controller joysticks to direct the power loader, or a PS4 controller to control it remotely.

While the multi-ton power loader is not a practical or a commercially-viable product, it's fun to watch the whole thing come together. If you're curious to see more, make sure you watch the video embedded above, and as always, enjoy!