| rdfs:comment | - Powered armor (also called CAS or Combat Armored Suits) has appeared in a wide variety of fiction, beginning with E. E. Smith's Lensman series in 1937. Since then, it has featured in science fiction movies and literature, comic books, video games, and tabletop role-playing games. One of the most famous early versions was Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel Starship Troopers, which can be seen as spawning the entire sub-genre concept of military "powered armor."
- Powered armor (also called CAS or Combat Armored Suits) has appeared in a wide variety of fiction, beginning with E. E. Smith's Lensman series in 1937. Since then, it has featured in science fiction movies and literature, comic books, video games, and tabletop role-playing games. One of the most famous early versions was Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel Starship Troopers, which can be seen as spawning the entire sub-genre concept of military "powered armor." In the BattleTech universe, a cybernetic system is necessary to provide a sense of balance.
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| abstract | - Powered armor (also called CAS or Combat Armored Suits) has appeared in a wide variety of fiction, beginning with E. E. Smith's Lensman series in 1937. Since then, it has featured in science fiction movies and literature, comic books, video games, and tabletop role-playing games. One of the most famous early versions was Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel Starship Troopers, which can be seen as spawning the entire sub-genre concept of military "powered armor." In addition to heightened strength and protection provided by the exoskeleton, other popular features include internal life support for hostile environments, protection from environmental hazards such as radiation and vacuum, weapons targeting systems, firearms affixed directly to the suit itself, and transportation mechanisms that allow the wearer to fly, make giant leaps, or speed by on ground. In some portrayals of powered armor, the suit is not much larger than a human. These depictions can be described as a battlesuit with mechanical and electronic mechanisms designed to augment the wearer's abilities. Other power armors are portrayed as being much larger, more like a bipedal vehicle the size of a tank or much larger. These latter are frequently termed Mecha, from the Japanese “メカ” (meka), an adaptation of the English “mechanical”. The line between mecha and power armor is necessarily vague. The usual distinction is that powered armor is form-fitting and worn; mecha have cockpits and are driven, or that powered exoskeletons augment the user's natural abilities, whilst mechas replace them entirely. However, the line between the two can be difficult to determine at times, especially considering that force feedback systems are often included for delicate maneuvers. Even in a larger mecha meant to be driven like a walking tank rather than worn, a realistic control system would have to be either cybernetic or form-fitting[citation needed]: In the BattleTech universe, a cybernetic system is necessary to provide a sense of balance. Another variation is Bio-Armour, which produces similar strength with organic technology (e.g. Peter F. Hamilton's novel Fallen Dragon, Jim Shooter's X-O Manowar comic book, and the Bio Booster Armor Guyver Japanese manga series). Most power armors carry an on-board, self-sufficient power source. Masamune Shirow's Landmates in Appleseed used simple internal combustion engines installed into the thigh assembly of the armor. The "hardsuits" of Bubblegum Crisis 2040 have a battery the size of an American football between their shoulderblades, though the functionality is never described. Still, more fantastic power sources have been introduced, for example, in Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 3 the Master Chief's MJOLNIR armor is powered by miniaturized fusion power reactors. The Power Armor in the Fallout series, which is usually worn by the Brotherhood of Steel, a techno-religious group, is also described as being fueled by fusion power cells. In Privateer Press' Iron Kingdoms setting, a steam boiler powers an arcane conversion engine, which ultimately powers the suit. Similarly, in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, the suits are powered by single-celled organisms cultured in Ovo Packs while in the "Metroid" series Samus Aran's armor (pictured below) is alien in design and origin and unknown as to how it functions. Super-powered armor suits (super-suits) also appear in fiction. Super-suits have fantastic abilities and powers that come from the suits being unique or very rare as compared to "basic" powered armor (for example, Booster Gold's suit which does not even look like powered armor). Super-suits tend to be used in settings with superheroes, such as Iron Man.
- Powered armor (also called CAS or Combat Armored Suits) has appeared in a wide variety of fiction, beginning with E. E. Smith's Lensman series in 1937. Since then, it has featured in science fiction movies and literature, comic books, video games, and tabletop role-playing games. One of the most famous early versions was Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel Starship Troopers, which can be seen as spawning the entire sub-genre concept of military "powered armor." In addition to heightened strength and protection provided by the exoskeleton, other popular features include internal life support for hostile environments, protection from environmental hazards such as radiation and vacuum, weapons targeting systems, firearms affixed directly to the suit itself, and transportation mechanisms that allow the wearer to fly, make giant leaps, or speed by on ground. In some portrayals of powered armor, the suit is not much larger than a human. These depictions can be described as a battlesuit with mechanical and electronic mechanisms designed to augment the wearer's abilities. Other power armors are portrayed as being much larger, more like a bipedal vehicle the size of a tank or much larger. These latter are frequently termed Mecha, from the Japanese “メカ” (meka), an adaptation of the English “mechanical”. The line between mecha and power armor is necessarily vague. The usual distinction is that powered armor is form-fitting and worn; mecha have cockpits and are driven, or that powered exoskeletons augment the user's natural abilities, whilst mechas replace them entirely. However, the line between the two can be difficult to determine at times, especially considering that force feedback systems are often included for delicate maneuvers. Even in a larger mecha meant to be driven like a walking tank rather than worn, a realistic control system would have to be either cybernetic or form-fitting[citation needed] In the BattleTech universe, a cybernetic system is necessary to provide a sense of balance. Another variation is Bio-Armour, which produces similar strength with organic technology (e.g. Peter F. Hamilton's novel Fallen Dragon, Jim Shooter's X-O Manowar comic book, and the Bio Booster Armor Guyver Japanese manga series). Most power armors carry an on-board, self-sufficient power source. Masamune Shirow's Landmates in Appleseed used simple internal combustion engines installed into the thigh assembly of the armor. The "hardsuits" of Bubblegum Crisis 2040 have a battery the size of an American football between their shoulderblades, though the functionality is never described. Still, more fantastic power sources have been introduced, for example, in Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 3 the Master Chief's MJOLNIR armor is powered by miniaturized fusion power reactors. The Power Armor in the Fallout series, which is usually worn by the Brotherhood of Steel, a techno-religious group, is also described as being fueled by fusion power cells. In Privateer Press' Iron Kingdoms setting, a steam boiler powers an arcane conversion engine, which ultimately powers the suit. Similarly, in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, the suits are powered by single-celled organisms cultured in Ovo Packs while in the "Metroid" series Samus Aran's armor (pictured below) is alien in design and origin and unknown as to how it functions. Super-powered armor suits (super-suits) also appear in fiction. Super-suits have fantastic abilities and powers that come from the suits being unique or very rare as compared to "basic" powered armor (for example, Booster Gold's suit which does not even look like powered armor). Super-suits tend to be used in settings with superheroes, such as Iron Man.
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