: DARPA (the Department of Defense's think tank and incubator of odd but sometimes wonderful ideas) is offering a $50 million for anyone who can develop "devices and machines that accomplish one or more of the following: 1) assist pack-loaded locomotion, 2) prolong locomotive endurance, 3) increase locomotive speed, 4) augment human strength, and 5) leap extraordinary heights and/or distances. These machines should be anthropomorphic and capable of bearing distributed loads, such as that generated by extensive armor protection, as well as typical pack loads." The exoskeleton device must have a power supply that will last 4-24 hours. DARPA expects there to be several successful bidders, and they will split the $50 million. Everyone will have five years to deliver a working prototype.