Chapter 2-3 Intermission:
I realize I should have done this from the start, and explained how the nanosuit is supposed to work, but I was just writing at that point. Sorry for the inconvenience. Most of my concepts of nanotechnology come from reading Prey by Michael Crichton, rest in peace, so if you read that, you'll pretty much know a lot of this already. You can just skip this bit.
The prototype U.S. Military Nano-Muscle Suit, or nanosuit, is a highly advanced suit of armor, designed to increase the performance of average soldiers while in the field with minimal training. This is accomplished through physical augmentation of bodily processes using nanoscopic machines. The assigned functions of the machines is to speed up body processes (specifically reflexes, running, durability, and various other physical exertions) by forcefully increasing the productivity of the cells, and at the same time, accomplishing tasks those cells would be doing by themselves. The machines have no AI, only programmed executables that run only after a certain code is recognized. This prevents Artificial Evolution, known commonly as Rampancy, and keeps the suit classified as a piece of equipment.
The code to change the current executable is activated by the gloves of the nanosuit, where, housed in the fingers, is a small piece of copper. An extremely small charge is reserved for it from the nanosuits rechargeable reservoir. When the copper is pressed against another piece of copper, located on the thumb, it creates a circuit (The circuit can also be accomplished through most other conductive metals, if for whatever reason needed). By tapping between 1 and 3 times, a code to change functions is sent to the entire body. This code goes through the body not through a large scale wireless network, but rather through the machines themselves. Each one has an extremely limited range of wireless communication, just enough to be able to communicate with others in its immediate vicinity. By sending the code, a pyramid-scheme-like effect is accomplished, with the rate of the code's travel increasing exponentially. Keep in mind this happens within roughly 5 seconds.
The 3 functions are classified as Armor, Strength, and Speed. As Armor does not specifically interact with the body, and uses the least processing speed, it uses less energy, making it the standard mode to switch to when power needs to recharge. Armor has the machines arrange themselves in such a way as to become a stronger, more ductile form of Kevlar, the main bulletproof protection material. If impact is predicted, then the machines automatically begin to concentrate on estimated place of connection. If machines are pushed aside by higher ordnance than expected, then they are also quick to reform.
Speed, the second function, increases reaction speed, running speed, balance, and all other forms of physical movement, from punching to typing. By attaching nanomachines to blood vessels, more oxygen can get to moving muscles, and much faster. Other machines then embed themselves in muscles to help manually contract, flex or rotate muscles and joints more quickly.
Strength, is the last function. The nanomachines split into 2 groups, equal in size. 1 group manually expands and contracts muscles, like in speed mode, but instead of increasing the movement rate of the muscles, the focus of Strength is to make the movement more forceful, rather than quicker. It strengthens all muscles at once, but makes the more exerted ones stronger. This means if a person attempts to jump in Strength mode while carrying a heavy load with both hands, the peak of the jump is notably lower than that of one without a weight to carry.
The suit receives it's energy from a small rechargable power source housed in the back. It is connected to both solar and thermal panels. Though it will charge more slowly in cold, cloudy environments, it will charge nonetheless. A separate battery is employed for breathing apparatus and goggle displays.
The goggle displays are simple, with various functions such as time, tempurature, GPS tracking and surveillance, energy levels and damaged nanomachine percentages. There is also basic night and thermal vision.
The Nano-Muscle Suit will revolutionize modern warfare, and is set to be released for military use on February 10th, 2003.
Sorry this took so long. Enjoy the rest.