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This big-arm robot let me live like Ripley from Aliens

Meet the Guardian GT exoskeleton. It's time to power up.

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Lexy Savvides
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Lexy Savvides Principal Video Producer
Lexy is an on-air presenter and award-winning producer who covers consumer tech, including the latest smartphones, wearables and emerging trends like assistive robotics. She's won two Gold Telly Awards for her video series Beta Test. Prior to her career at CNET, she was a magazine editor, radio announcer and DJ. Lexy is based in San Francisco.
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My arms are 7 feet long, and I can lift 1,000 pounds with my bare hands. Thanks to the Guardian GT, the big-arm robot I'm controlling, I actually feel like I'm in the power loader from Aliens.

Designed and built by Sarcos Robotics, the Guardian GT is designed to go into dangerous situations where humans can't -- such as decommissioned nuclear power plants. It's an industrial exoskeleton that can run on batteries, diesel or natural gas and is designed to act like a scaled-up human. There are two cameras that act as eyes so the operator can remotely see what's in front of the robot. 

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The Guardian GT looks fierce.

 Lexy Savvides/CNET

Each arm is structured like a human arm and has similar joints. So when you're controlling the robot remotely from the base station, you have the same sort of dexterity with the robot arm as your actual arm does. It even has a "thumb" and two fingers to help it grip objects, press buttons and operate power tools.

On top of the Guardian GT, Sarcos Robotics also makes the Guardian S, a snake-like robot that can inspect dangerous terrain and cling to walls. The company is also working on a forthcoming, fully wearable powered exoskeleton called the Guardian XO, which reminds me of the Iron Man suit. 

This is an episode of Beta Test, the show that puts you in the front seat with me as I test crazy tech products and experiences.