The Carbon-Fiber Gladiator Suit

Getting cracked in the head with a metal stick or sliced across the arm with a sharp blade are quick ways to end your weapons-based martial arts career. That’s why schools drill with modified instruments and gladiator-esque fights to the death have vanished. But for those who really want to spar, the Lorica suit is on the way. Made from carbon-fiber, polycarbonate material, and elastomeric foam, the suit can stand up to a beating while allowing you to escape unscathed. It absorbs so much of the impact that you could get whacked in the head and barely feel it. And while it would be badass enough if it stopped right there, the whole thing has also been outfitted with sensors to score severity of blows, locations, and more. It could usher in a new wave of competitions and allow people to look like the dude from Halo in the process.