With all those superhero movies taking over the big screen, it’s hard not to want some kind of superpower yourself. If you’re desperate for some superhero action, the way to do it (unless you are a mutant) is by using some manmade technology gadgets that could give you superhuman powers.
Let’s face it. You are not going to become Iron Man, nor will you acquire Batman’s cool gadgets, but you can come closer than you think to those superheroes by using the following gadgets.
If you’re a hard-core fan of the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four, then this will be the gadget of your dreams. No, it won’t set you on fire and it most definitely won’t give you the ability to fly using your heat. The Pyro Fireshooter straps onto your wrist and gives you the ability to shoot fireballs. That’s right, fireballs! It’s rechargeable and easily detachable and you can control it using a remote. The public’s response to this gadget was so high and positive that led to the creation of a mini version of the Pyro Fireshooter as well. If you intend to get hyper using this gadget and start running around, shooting fireballs everywhere and towards everyone (not advised), I would personally recommend currying a bucket of water with you as well 😉
2. Invisibility cloak
Invisibility has always been one of the most desired superpowers. Although it’s easy to see how some people would abuse this power, using it for bad actions or crimes, it is still popular among the superhero fans. Although a full suit that could make you completely disappear doesn’t exist just yet, an Invisibility cloak just like the one we saw in the Harry Potter movies, was created by scientists a few years ago. It uses meta-materials to reflect light and make anything behind the cloak disappear. The Invisibility cloak is still under development but sooner or later we will see a final version released to the public. Whether you are a fan of Harry Potter or the Invisible Woman from the Fantastic Four you must be looking forward with excitement to get your hands on this “magical” Invisibility cloak.
3. Bullet proof business suit
With just around $20.000 you can be classy and safe at the same time. If you are interested in being an agent-type superhero then you definitely need this. Garrison Bespoke Bulletproof Suit is a custom made suit that can protect you from a variety of gun shots. It uses nanotechnology and it is comprised of the same carbon nanotubes that are used to design the US military uniforms. Someone would think that a bulletproof suit would be very thick and heavy but instead, Garrison Bespoke Bulletproof Suit is very thin, light and flexible. There has been some interest from various sources in buying a bulletproof suit like this one, some other future superheroes like yourself maybe? Or maybe even worse! Criminals! If money isn’t an issue, then this suit is a must have.
4. Wall Climbing Backpack
If YOU want to be our “friendly neighbourhood Spiderman” then you need to check out this PVAC(Personal Vacuum Assisted Climber) designed by Utah State University.
This Backpack uses suction cups that allow you to climb walls. If you don’t believe that such a thing really exists, there have been various tests around the world with many videos of people climbing walls shared all over the internet. With a little help of some friends from engineering school you could create your own artificial web shooters to integrate to the Backpack. The only thing that will be left then is to suit up and start climbing walls and shooting web at strangers, like a true Spiderman..!
When it comes to super strength, Exoskeleton is the technology that makes it all possible. Although you might not wear a suit that makes you as strong as Iron Man, at least not yet, Exoskeletons are coming quite close to matching superhuman strength. It’s worth noting that not just one, but multiple companies are working on perfecting Exoskeletons as we speak. A good example is a Darpa-Funded Exoskeleton that aims to create super soldiers that can last longer in wars and be stronger in general. If you are serious about acquiring superpowers similar to those of Tony Stark, then you should definitely buy an Exoskeleton when it becomes commercially available, if you can afford it, and begin building your own Exo-suit on top. You can even team up with a bunch of programmers to create an AI (Artificial Intelligence) similar to Iron Man’s Jarvis. You will then have the complete superhero/crime fighting machine package ready to defeat crime.
Hold it Professor X! This is not about you controlling other people’s minds. That technology is far from reality and comes with a ton of moral issues. Although that kind of Mind control is currently under development at DARPA, I’m referring to a more friendly and useful “superpower” of the brain. This Mind Control helmet that was designed and developed by the University of Minnesota gives you the power to control various objects just by thinking it. Cool right? Researchers in the University have used this new non-invasive system to control a flying robot using only the power of the mind. Other than giving you superpowers like those that Jean from X-Men possesses, this helmet can be used to help people who are paralyzed or have neurodegenerative diseases.
The ability to look through solid objects, like walls, is a long wanted technology that was being developed for many years. In recent years there has been a new breakthrough in the field by MIT professor Dina Katabi and her student Fadel Adib who are working to develop a way to look through walls and other solid material. The technology is called Wi-Vi and is similar to the way radar and sonar work. Other than a few creepy applications you, most probably, can imagine, Wi-Vi could help emergency responders, including yourself, search for survivors after earthquakes and other disasters. After all a superhero is valuable only if he saves human lives. /span>
In 2014, a piece of futuristic technology has been developed in order to be used at the World Cup 2014 organized in Brazil. These Robocop-like glasses carry a small camera with integrated face recognition software. It can capture 400 facial images per second and it was used to recognize any criminal that was planning to execute his evil plans. All it takes is a database filled with your worst enemies and city criminal’s records and you are ready to go. All the work is done by the specifically designed face recognition software. If you want to be a badass like Robocop, these Glasses should be the first thing to buy.
This Seek Thermal XR Camera is pretty sick! Haha… No? OK. Besides joking, this gadget is very cool and affordable. You can connect it to your iPhone and start playing spy immediately. It can detect heat signatures in pitch-black conditions up to almost 2,000 feet away. Most people used it to detect where heat is escaping from their home, if any animal has entered their backyard etc. But you could use it to your crime fighting adventures to detect your enemies that are hiding in the dark ready to strike. Combine this camera with the Robocop glasses and the bullet proof suit and you are ready to fight crime like a true Avenger.
A Superhero that can’t fly? More like a superzero!!! You can’t be a superhero without a way to reach the skies. If you don’t possess the biological ability to fly, which you most probably don’t, then you HAVE to use some kind of flying equipment to cruise above the city and fight crime with pride. The Jetpack is a proper way to do it. Most people aren’t aware that a Jetpack already exists and that trial flights are already taking place. In fact, you can buy a Jetpack of your own but expect to pay a quite high amount of money. If you think that using a Jetpack is lame for a superhero. Then you should reconsider because many great superheroes have used various kinds of Jetpacks. In fact, Tony Stark, A.K.A., Iron Man uses Jetpack thrusters to fly. They are just integrated in a genius and cool way onto his suit.