Many view Elon Musk as the real-world Tony Stark, the billionaire superhero from Marvel’s Iron Man films. The Tesla CEO’s recent X message might be the sign he’ll turn that into reality.
On July 14, 2024, the “Dogefather” declared online, “Maybe it’s time to build that flying metal suit of armor.”
Coincidentally, this wild statement came a day after the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump.
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In response, many made fun of this idea while some celebrated it, comparing it to Tony Stark’s transformation into the iconic superhero.
Yet, what would it take to build the Iron Man suit in real life?
Can humans create a real “flying suit of armor?”
Elon Musk’s “flying suit of armor” quote seems to echo a statement from the film “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” It featured Tony Stark telling Bruce Banner (The Hulk),” I see a suit of armor around the world.”
It refers to his autonomous army of Iron Man suits called The Iron Legion. Stark created it after seeing the otherworldly threats attacking the world since The Avengers’ inception.
Similarly, the wealthy Trump supporter mentioned creating a “flying suit of armor.”
Most found the statement ridiculous, but others thought it might be the time to develop this technology.
Surprisingly, modern advancements show we are headed towards its creation.
For example, the British Royal Navy showed clips of its Jet Suit. It has arm-mounted thrusters similar to Iron Man’s, enabling them to soar over the sea and land on ships.
In 2023, Japanese firm Tsubame revealed Archax, a 15-foot-tall robot. It has arms and hands with articulated digits, enabling a pilot to perform various tasks.
Meanwhile, University of Tokyo researchers created Jizai Arms, cybernetic arms that accurately mimic a person’s movements.
Combining these technologies may help create Elon Musk’s flying suit of armor. Of course, producing such a machine would likely require years of research and development to realize effectively.
You may read more about Archax and Jizai Arms in their respective Inquirer Tech articles.