Inventing iron man : the possibility of a human machine

Tony Stark has been battling bad guys and protecting innocent civilians since he first donned his mechanized armor in the 1963 debut of Iron Man in Marvel Comics. Over the years, Stark's suit has allowed him to smash through walls, fly through the air like a human jet, control a bewildering array of weaponry by thought alone, and perform an uncountable number of other fantastic feats. The man who showed us all what it would take to become Batman probes whether science—and humankind—is up to the task of inventing a real-life Iron Man. E. Paul Zehr physically deconstructs Iron Man to find out how we could use modern-day technology to create a suit of armor similar to the one Stark made. Applying scientific principles and an incredibly creative mind to the question, Zehr looks at how Iron Man's suit allows Stark to become a superhero. He discusses the mind-boggling and body-straining feats Iron Man performed to defeat villains like Crimson Dynamo, Iron Monger, and Whiplash and how such acts would play out in the real world. Zehr finds that science is nearing the point where a suit like Iron Man's could be made. But superherodom is not just about technology. Zehr also discusses our own physical limitations and asks whether an extremely well-conditioned person could use Iron Man's armor and do what he does. A scientifically sound look at brain-machine interfaces and the outer limits where neuroscience and neural plasticity meet, Inventing Iron Man is a fun comparison between comic book science fiction and modern science. If you've ever wondered whether you have what it takes to be the ultimate human-machine hero, then this book is for you.

Tony Stark has been battling bad guys and protecting innocent civilians since he first donned his mechanized armor in the 1963 debut of Iron Man in Marvel Comics. Over the years, Stark’s suit has allowed him to smash through walls, fly through the air like a human jet, control a bewildering array of weaponry by thought alone, and perform an uncountable number of other fantastic feats. The man who showed us all what it would take to become Batman probes whether science—and humankind—is up to the task of inventing a real-life Iron Man.

E. Paul Zehr physically deconstructs Iron Man to find out how we could use modern-day technology to create a suit of armor similar to the one Stark made. Applying scientific principles and an incredibly creative mind to the question, Zehr looks at how Iron Man’s suit allows Stark to become a superhero. He discusses the mind-boggling and body-straining feats Iron Man performed to defeat villains like Crimson Dynamo, Iron Monger, and Whiplash and how such acts would play out in the real world. Zehr finds that science is nearing the point where a suit like Iron Man’s could be made. But superherodom is not just about technology. Zehr also discusses our own physical limitations and asks whether an extremely well-conditioned person could use Iron Man’s armor and do what he does.

A scientifically sound look at brain-machine interfaces and the outer limits where neuroscience and neural plasticity meet, Inventing Iron Man is a fun comparison between comic book science fiction and modern science. If you’ve ever wondered whether you have what it takes to be the ultimate human-machine hero, then this book is for you.

E. Paul Zehr Physically Deconstructs Iron Man To Find Out How We Could Use Modern-day Technology To Create A Suit Of Armor Similar To The One Stark Made--jacket. Origins Of The Iron Knight: Bionics, Robotic Armor, And Anthropomorphic Suits -- Building The Body With Biology: When The Man Of Metal Needs To Muscle In -- Accessing The Brain Of The Armored Avenger: Can We Connect The Cranium To A Computer -- Multitasking And The Metal Man: How Much Can Iron Man's Mind Manage? -- Softening Up A Superhero: Why The Man With A Suit Of Iron Could Get A Jelly Belly -- Brain Drain: Will Tony's Gray Matter Give Way? -- Trials And Tribulations Of The Tin Man: What Happens When The Human Machine Breaks Down -- Visions Of The Vitruvian Man: Is Invention Really Only One Part Inspiration? -- Deal Or No Deal? Could Iron Man Exist? E. Paul Zehr. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [185]-196) And Index. This entertaining and engaging small volume looks at the science behind the comic book character Iron Man, and discusses, in detail, whether and how current technologies might be used to make and operate real life Iron Man armor. Topics discussed include the biological and technological interface, hardware technology, internal mental capabilities of whoever wears the suit, and power management and maintenance for complex systems. The volume includes several illustrations, tables, equations and formulas. Zehr is a professor of neuroscience at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, and the author of a similar work entitled Becoming Batman. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)