Robot mannequin technology to test army suits against chemical warfare

A robot mannequin with the power to walk, march and mimic the movements of a soldier has been unveiled by the Ministry of Defence.

The Porton Man, which cost £1.1m, has been created to allow scientists to test protective suits designed to protect UK personnel from chemical and biological attacks.

New technology enables the robot to move its head, allowing a better range of movement, and special sensors have been placed on its body allowing scientists to carry out real-time analysis while testing.

The Ministry of Defence said the new mannequin, built using Formula 1 technology, is unique to the UK, which is leading the way in testing.

It will be used by scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in Porton Down Wilshitre, who test clothing worn by soldiers to protect them against chemical warfare.

The Porton Man is much lighter than its predecessor and even has removable thumbs making it easier to put gloves on, as well as ankles that can flex.

Chief executive Jez Gibson-Harris said they were tasked with producing a lightweight robotic mannequin based on data collected from 2,500 soldiers, that was easy to handle and had a wide range of movement.

He said: "Of course there were a number of challenges associated with this and one way we looked to tackle these challenges was through the use of Formula One technology.

"Using the same concepts as those used in racing cars, we were able to produce very light but highly durable carbon composite body parts for the mannequin."