Japanese Researchers Aim To Make Superhuman Sports Stars
It’s a given that being an all-star athlete takes both raw talent and years of training — a major deal-breaker for scores of normal people. If there was a way to even the playing field, then there’s no telling what the world of sports would be like; still, it might not have to wait too long for an answer. A new team of Japanese researchers — the Superhuman Sports Society, or S3 — has been formed with a goal in mind: to create technology that can drastically empower sports fans on every level.
The proposition — albeit one in the early stages — is that by using special suits and robotic devices, users will be able to perform feats that not even the greatest athletes could. Harry Potter’s Quidditch is specifically name-checked; creating out-of-body experiences is on the agenda, and beyond that, entirely new games could be created using exoskeletons and equipment. Realms of imagination aside, the tech is believed to serve a practical purpose — namely, it could help the handicapped enjoy sports in full, or at the very least aid in nursing.
While the S3 is young, it’s already well in motion. The plan is to host an exhibition in October that features those new games — a way to excite crowds and competitors alike. It’s hard to know what might come of this, but the prospect of armored athletes taking to the field is enough for now.
