The Caped Crusader’s legendary costume and gadgets may no longer be limited to the graphic novel world.
Suddenly, the shadowy world of cowled avengers looks a little bit more real. According to an article at HowStuffWorks.com, the latest iteration of Bruce Wayne’s big screen alter-ego may be more reality than fantasy.
While researchers haven’t found a way to instantly transfer years of martial arts training to an individual, some of Batman’s arsenal is within the reach of normal people.
First, his body armor consists of an undersuit overlayed with components that protect his limbs and back. SWAT units today use a similar approach, combining bullet-resistant body armor with hard impact-resistant segments to protect body parts and joints.
The bullet-resistant cowl parallels modern military helmets. And the electronics Batman carries on-board – microphones, radio, scanner – are trivial to find in the real world. Hearing amplification and filtering of sudden loud sounds can be found as well.
Developing the cape might be beyond the average wanna-be’s capabilities. The “memory fiber” that flows like silk but can stiffen with an electric charge to serve as a glider doesn’t have an off-the-shelf equivalent yet. Readers of this article should refrain from trying to fly without a boarding pass and a valid airline ticket.
Batman’s belt, a modified climbing harness, carries the Dark Knight Detective’s favorite gadgets. Some items, like the climbing spikes and the shuriken-like Batarangs, are based on concepts dating back through centuries. On the other hand, the magnetic grappling gun doesn’t seem to exist outside the silver screen.
It’s fun to think about the concepts behind the cowl, but it’ll be much easier to just go see the movie Batman Begins.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
