To reduce fatigue for military service members, the U.S. Air Force is testing a new pneumatically powered exoskeleton designed for Air Force porters.

U.S. Air Force aerial porters are responsible for managing cargo, loading and unloading cargo planes correctly, which requires a significant amount of manual labor. As such, the U.S. Air Force is eyeing a new exoskeleton, dubbed the Forge System, which was developed by ROAM Robotics.

Source: U.S. Air Force

The pneumatically powered exoskeleton reportedly augments the leg strength of aerial porters, thereby preventing fatigue and reducing workplace injuries.

The Forge System features pneumatically actuated leg braces and a backpack, which serves as the brain and power of the exoskeleton, according to its developers.

In October, the Forge System was trialed by two aerial porters who managed to easily push a 3,500 lb pallet — a task that would usually require four or five aerial porters.

According to its developers, the Forge System is not restricted to military use cases. The Forge System can be used by rescue workers, such as firefighters, and by those working in factories as well as those working in the mining and logging industries.