Hybrid Power Systems! | Real Life Power Armor (Part 4/6)

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CHAPTERS:
0:00 In this episode
0:59 Why did we choose pneumatics?
4:07 The best motor for the job
7:26 Realistic power sources
9:49 MrCool!
11:10 Upgrading the power pack
15:33 Pressure cuff controls
17:16 Testing the new system and what's next?

WARNING: THESE VIDEOS ARE FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. PERSONAL USE OF VIDEO CONTENT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE HACKSMITH IS A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING. EXCEPT WHEN HE DOESN'T. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RECREATE OR RE-ENACT ANYTHING SHOWN IN THESE VIDEOS.

[ChuckUFarley]

SWITCH THE GASOLINE OVER TO PROPANE!

The energy density will be slightly less, but it burns cleaner, which is IMPORTANT in confined spaces without good ventilation.

Plus, Propane doesn't care what orientation it's in, so it can keep going even if the suit falls over.

Also, small Propane bottles are cheap and easy to swap out like a fusion core. And propane won't decay like gasoline will, so barring any leaks, it'll last forever.

TL:DR, Propane is a straight-up upgrade.

[juannavarro]

That's one hell of an update, what do you mean "it may not seem like much"? It's a HUGE change and an amazing upgrade, making the whole system more powerful, portable and even better looking. Keep it up, it's going way too good! I can't wait to see the end result!

[eldibs]

17:29 "Try to resist my arm." **James casually pins him** You accidentally perfectly illustrated why a robot arm attached to a human body won't actually give you super-strength. Your whole body has to handle the weight, not just the arm. That's why power armor has to have leg and torso enhancement.

[chrns]

Man, i remember creating code for a zero sensed force system and thinking "Man, this would be really cool for an exoskeleton arm" but being far too broke and occupied to ever attempt it. Im glad hacksmith is bringing not only my dreams but an awesome piece of science fiction to life!

[atotaldummy]

8:20 neither did the Fallout universe! the "Fusion" Cores that power armour uses are actually fission batteries, they were only called "fusion" to make them seem cleaner and safer, as they were also used in cars and other stuff in the Fallout universe pre-war.

[PlasmaChannel]

The augmented and complimented movement / strength you got going here is remarkable. Definitely the right direction guys! The fact that the compressor fires up during use to maintain pressure....that's real world functionality. Gas is the right choice too - energy density is king here, plus that menacing noise is prime. So when do I get to hop in the suit :P

[Benjamin-rqfi]

This is frickin LEGIT. Like.. no jank, this is actually gonna be real easy to use power armor. And I can't wait until the armor plates have the nanovate coating or whatever it's called.

[MafiaJC]

This is the coolest thing ever! As a big fallout fan and a researcher in medicine, I have always found this suit so interesting and used to dream of owning one. I always thought myoelectric sensors would be best for intuitive control, but this cuff design is really clever! Can't wait for the next episode!

[Starfighter-nkmo]

Controlling the armor with your body movements is a really important point. This is how the first ever sci-fi depicting power armor, Star Ship Troopers, (1959)
wrote about it, and how it presumably works in almost every setting it exists in. You push on the armor, and it moves with you like it’s not there at all.

[JoelCreates]

I like the pressure sensor actuation! I used to hand manufacture silicone devices that measured force via air pressure. I always wondered what kind of control interfaces you could make using similar methods

[TheOhioNews]

9:02 yet ;)

2026 Hacksmith builds a nuclear fusion reactor 😮

[markfergerson]

I liked the power density lecture, you covered the high points without getting too deep into the weeds.

On the other hand your explanation of the power pack design glossed over several rabbit holes like heat management. Which components physically fit where doesn’t take into account their thermal environment, stuff like that, but I get that there are a half dozen similar rabbit holes like vibration and airflow management there at least.

I suspect that you only got into the depths that you did because a large part of your audience can see things like that without you having to hold our hands. Thanks for the respect, people.

[mitchhaelann]

If anyone can figure out how to do this in a semi-amateur workshop, it's you guys: The US military has tasked DARPA with developing practical batteries made from graphene and silicon. If you want extreme power densities, that's your solution.

[miget]

The way you made intuitive movement, as well as the idea of "zeroing" the suit when you enter, would totally validate needing to receive power armor training in-game.

[ryanwells]

This has got to be the most advanced engineering project on YouTube just from the sheer number of different fields needed to get all the cool individual peices to work well together in one awsome unit. Mechs for the Win!

[adamharcourt]

The best part is how he goes from explaining it to viewers as a YouTuber, then sees James and switches to engineer mode like “I’ve done this so it works like that, and this can be changed to suit that, with these improvements to come” I know because I’ve done the exact same thing and you can see the level of respect he has for James and for his own work. It’s nice to see James be genuinely impressed because like he said, he’s made a hybrid engine as a backpack.
Amazing work all you guys.

[bluebadger]

I remember when fallout 4 first came out, I was obsessed, I had it in my head that air was the way as if the pipes got shot up you could compensate temporarily by just pumping more whereas hydrolics would leak out,

also thought I'd have to make it charge up like a hybrid car, so engine generating a battery charge then the power generated pumping the compression as soldiers need a bit of stealth when they can get it

[ChristopherSloane]

So no matter the power pack and fuel adding a muffler would be a good idea and a solid firewall. If not that at least a fire suit for the user.

[aguiaia]

CORRECTION: of the shelf hydraulics are slow.

There is no reason hydraulics NEED to be slow, most people just aren't that suicidal.

[jg]

The lecture on power density, great way to explain the issue plaguing basically every attempt at viable non-gasoline transportation. Gas and gas motors are massively more power dense than alternatives currently available (LNG, EV hydrogen, etc), plus recharge/refuel much faster. Engineering Explained did a vid on this once as well.