9 Avengers: Endgame Powers That Are Actually Real, Thanks To Tech

8. Iron Man - Exoskeleton Armor

In the immortal words of Robert Downey Jr, "I am Iron Man." Putting on a suit of armor that can fly and fight has been a dream of many of us since Iron Man first appeared in Marvel's Tales of Suspense #39 in 1963.

While it might not bear the Stark brand name, the U.S. military is working on creating their own Iron Man suits - exoskeleton armor that can increase strength and endurance, and provide protection. The Defense Department has the TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit) that is still in development after nearly six years. Lockheed Martin has the Onyx exosuit that isn't armored but helps to increase soldier endurance.

It may be a few more years before we see these Iron Man-style suits on the battlefield though. Unlike Tony Stark, who built his first Iron Man suit in a cave out of scraps, creating a functional exoskeleton is a massively complicated task. After six years, the TALOS armor can't move, shoot or communicate, making it essentially useless on the battlefield.

Outside of military applications, these exoskeletons could help improve worker safety and reduce on-the-job fatigue while preventing injuries. It might not be the application that Mr. Stark envisioned but it could potentially change the future of manual labor for the better.