Exosuit lets divers go 1,000 feet deep (pictures)
This special suit, which weighs 530 pounds, lets divers go to depths of 1,000 feet, where water pressure is 30 times that of the surface.
Michael Lombardi testing the exosuit
A next-generation exosuit now on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, is designed to allow a diver to safely reach depths of 1,000 feet, where pressure is 30 times greater than at the surface.
This is diver Michael Lombardi testing the suit, which will be on display in the museum's Paul Milstein Family Hall of Ocean Life through March 5.
The exosuit
Made from hard metal, the exosuit weighs 530 pounds and was designed to allow divers to do many types of difficult and delicate tasks.
Back of suit
The back side of the exosuit features a life support system, which is meant to let a diver remain far below the surface for hours. The suit has 1.6-horsepower foot-controlled thrusters and 18 rotary joints in the arms and legs, allowing the diver to move and to control special accessories.
30 times the pressure
The water pressure at a depth of 1,000 feet is 30 times that of the surface. Most recreational divers can safely reach depths of only 100 feet.
Lombardi testing
Another view of Lombardi testing the one-of-a-kind suit.
Training with the suit
In order to test the exosuit, it was lifted and deployed into a test tank at Nuytco Research in North Vancouver, Canada.
Remotely operated
The exosuit does not work on its own. Instead, it's used in conjunction with this remotely operated vehicle, called the DeepReef-ROV. It was designed to study bioluminescence and biofluorescence by taking high-resolution photographs of marine life.
Test fitting
The exosuit is test-fitted by Jim Clark from the J.F. White Contracting Company, which owns the suit.
More exosuit
Another look at the exosuit, which will be used as part of the Stephen J. Barlow Bluewater Expedition, during which scientists will study New England's mesopelagic, or midwater, habitat.
More Galleries
My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?