Indian Student Creates a Real-Life ‘Iron Man’ Suit That Can Lift 300 lbs

Vimal Govin Manikandan, an engineering student from India, has crafted an Iron Man suit capable of lifting as much as 300 pounds but costs as much as an iPhone 6s Plus.

The suit isn’t as pretty as Robert Downey Jr.’s, but it’s actually the fruit of Manikandan’s award-winning paper titled “A System and Method of Maneuvering Powered Exoskeleton Using Mechanical and Hydraulic Feedback.”

Designed for military use, the suit costs $750 to build, proving geeky inventions don’t always have to be expensive. The cheapest, walk-assisting exoskeletons known today cost tens of thousands of dollars, according to CNET.

Manikandan’s exoskeleton has its limitations, including the fact that it’s hard to walk wearing it. According to Al Jazeera, the structure weighs 200 pounds, and it’s unclear if its lifting capacity includes weight of the wearing person.

Still, Manikandan’s work is something to cheer on, considering that he isn’t backed by top tech support. Instead, he has a small team currently working on a robot aimed at picking things up. Check out how they engineered their exo-skeleton:

Wearable or not, robots have gained public interest for some time now, and serious enthusiasts can actually buy one online.

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