Robohub.org
 

1.1M£ robotic “Porton Man” to test protective clothing for UK’s armed forces


by
07 April 2014



share this:

Porton-Man---cropped
UK’s Ministry of Defense invested 1.1M GBP in a new robotic mannequin that will test protective suits and equipment for the UK’s armed forces. The project is named “Porton Man” and is able to emulate the movements of a soldier (march, sit, kneel and pose). It is equipped with more than a hundred sensors that monitor in real-time the performance of the tested article.

This animatronic mannequin is designed by i-bodi Technology for Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), based in Porton Down in Wiltshire (hence the name). Its frame is made from CFRP parts, and in addition to the realistic movement emulation, it will be used to test equipment in extreme risk environments. The DSTL is the only laboratory in the world that can use chemical warfare agents to assess the effectiveness of complete clothing systems such as the chemical, biological and radiological suits used by UK Armed Forces.

Press release from UK MoD
Press release from Dstl

1956905_10152334085734885_5362528798753433553_o
1401528_10152360504029393_3039517513933889060_o

(via Royal Air Force / UK Armed Forces facebook page )

 

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:

See all the latest robotics news on Robohub, or sign up for our weekly newsletter.



tags: , , ,


Ioannis K. Erripis joined the ROBOTS association in early 2011 as a news reporter and now leads all technical aspects of the Robohub project, including website design, implementation and branding.
Ioannis K. Erripis joined the ROBOTS association in early 2011 as a news reporter and now leads all technical aspects of the Robohub project, including website design, implementation and branding.





Related posts :



Meet the AI-powered robotic dog ready to help with emergency response

  07 Jan 2026
Built by Texas A&M engineering students, this four-legged robot could be a powerful ally in search-and-rescue missions.

MIT engineers design an aerial microrobot that can fly as fast as a bumblebee

  31 Dec 2025
With insect-like speed and agility, the tiny robot could someday aid in search-and-rescue missions.

Robohub highlights 2025

  29 Dec 2025
We take a look back at some of the interesting blog posts, interviews and podcasts that we've published over the course of the year.

The science of human touch – and why it’s so hard to replicate in robots

  24 Dec 2025
Trying to give robots a sense of touch forces us to confront just how astonishingly sophisticated human touch really is.

Bio-hybrid robots turn food waste into functional machines

  22 Dec 2025
EPFL scientists have integrated discarded crustacean shells into robotic devices, leveraging the strength and flexibility of natural materials for robotic applications.

Robot Talk Episode 138 – Robots in the environment, with Stefano Mintchev

  19 Dec 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Stefano Mintchev from ETH Zürich about robots to explore and monitor the natural environment.

Artificial tendons give muscle-powered robots a boost

  18 Dec 2025
The new design from MIT engineers could pump up many biohybrid builds.



 

Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


 












©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence