Technology: it's in our homes and in our cars,
but why can't it be in us?
Well, now it can. Ronny Chieng has more
in his segment Today's Future Now.
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Thanks, Trevor.
For years, we've mostly just operated our technology
with our hands and our fingers,
like a bunch of cavemen
or people from Michigan.
We love to finger our technology.
We finger it all day long.
But now "science"
has found a way to get our whole bodies involved.
Exoskeleton vests are changing the game
for the American manufacturing workforce.
Ford Motor Company recently unveiled its plan
to provide workers with wearable technology.
REPORTER: It's an exoskeleton that helps maintain
good posture, adding up to 15 pounds of support
to each arm when it's raised up.
Nicholas Gotts spends much of the day
on the Ford Mustang assembly line reaching up.
Really? They call you Rocket Man and Mr. Incredible?
Or are you trying to give yourself a nickname
and make it stick by saying it on national television?
Because it doesn't work like that, man. Okay?
If you want to give yourself a nickname,
you got to be more subtle.
Take some advice from the Chinese stallion.
You got to slip it in,
when people aren't paying attention.
W-Wait, wait, wait. You're the Chinese stallion?
Yeah, I mean, tha-that's what I keep hearing people saying
these days, so I guess it's official.
But, more importantly,
I don't know if I trust that robot vest, okay?
I see what's happening.
First, the robot's like,
"Hey, let me help you lift that."
Then the robot's like, "Hey, you know what?
I-I can do that myself. Why don't you go take a break?"
And, next thing you know, the robot has your job
and is banging your wife, okay?
And there's also downsides.
Because not only is technology taking over our lives,
it's about to make us look a lot stupider.
REPORTER: Swiss drone scientists are working
on a wearable drone controller.
It's basically a fancy jacket with a lot of sensors on it.
You put it on and then you add
a little virtual reality headset
and then you raise your arms like a bird,
as free as you can be,
and, uh, you've got to twist your torso every which way
to pilot the drone.
Oh, wow. How convenient.
So instead of using a remote control for my drone
that fits in my hand,
now I just have to put on 20 pounds of equipment?
I can't lift 20 pounds, okay?
Do I look like the Rock?
Do I?
(shouts of assent, cheering)
No!
No, I don't.
But thank you.
(laughter)
So, I shouldn't need a whole workout routine
just to spy on my neighbors sunbathing on their roof, okay?
My problem with this is that it's too small-minded.
We're in the future. We shouldn't be flying drones.
-We should be flying ourselves. -MAN: Yes!
REPORTER: It's not a sight you'd expect to see
on the streets of London.
But few are more blown away by the jet suit
than the man who invented it, Richard Browning.
It's almost like that dream most people seem to have
around being able to just think somewhere and fly there.
REPORTER: It can reach speeds of 32 miles an hour
and an altitude of 12,000 feet.
Anyone can fly it, with training and insurance.
It's made up of five mini jet engines,
one on the back and two on each arm, which control direction.
Finally. Now, this is an awesome way to travel,
even though he looks like Tony Stark got his suit from H&M.
And... look at all those engines.
I can finally fulfill my childhood dream
of flying and killing eight geese at once.
But as cool as this suit is, there is one drawback.
REPORTER: For now, the fuel pack limits the suit
to only three or four minutes of flight.
(laughter)
So this thing can fly
up to 12,000 feet
but only has gas for three minutes.
That sounds like a great way to fall from 12,000 feet.
But you know what?
The good thing about all this new technology
is that we've all been worried that robots are gonna take over
and kill humanity.
But it turns out we're becoming the robots
and we're gonna kill ourselves first.
So, suck it, robots. That'll teach you to bang our wives.
The Chinese stallion, everybody!