powered armor

A general term describing a suit of protective armor augmented with motors or some manner of motive devices to enhance the strength and mobility of the wearer. The concept is widely believed to have originated with Robert A. Heinlein's novel "Starship Troopers." In recent years, the concept of Powered Armor has spread like wildfire through the genre of science fiction. Prominent examples include the MJOLNIR armor worn by the Master Chief in Bungie's popular "Halo" video games, the Space Marine armor featured in the tabletop strategy game "Warhammer 40,000" and the Iron Man armor featured in the movie by the same name. In addition to augmenting the wearer's strength and agility, Powered Armor often includes some manner of Heads-up Display, or "HUD," which is projected onto the interior of the suit's visor or faceplate. Proposals for real-life Powered Armor have been tossed around, and several working proof-of-concept prototypes have been constructed. However, the amount of energy required to operate a true Powered Armor suit makes the concept unfeasible, at least for the foreseeable future.