Science: Meet the Army's Newest Recruit ; the US Defense Department Is Spending Millions of Dollars on the Development of an Exoskeleton for Hi-Tech Combat. but, Asks Owen Dyer, Is This Really the Future of Warfare?

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It's nearly 500 years since the armoured knight was chased from the European battlefield by gun-wielding commoners. But if the US Army gets its way, the men in the iron pyjamas may soon be back, and this time they will have technology on their side. The US Department of Defense is currently handing out grants to develop powered suits of armour that boast superhuman capabilities.

"Exoskeletons for human performance augmentation" is the title that has been given to a research programme that seeks to enhance the infantryman's strength, speed and endurance. According to the programme outline, applicants looking for a slice of the $50m (pounds 35m) research pie must design an …