A robot carrying weight off a soldier's back, a weapon able to drop bombs further and higher than its predecessor, and a device warning of toxic chemicals that the nose cannot detect.
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These are some of the innovative technologies showcased in Canberra by the Department of Defence to mark National Science Week.
The new bomb technology has the potential to "change the way the air force operates", Defence Science and Technology (DST) scientist Dr Andrew Snowden says.
The new design adds wings to the standard Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) weapon – which converts unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions – to extend its range and therefore reduce the risks of deployment.
Chief defence scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky said it was also more cost-effective and would be used by the Australian Defence Force from 2016.
Soldiers could soon be powering their numerous devices from a single solar-cell system, which allows more-efficient power-management.
"We trialled the system for a week in the bush … The group with [the system] could have gone out for another week but the other guys came back with devices that had run out," researcher Andrew Arnold said.
The DST group has designed a device that converts energy even from a vehicle's vibrations into electricity.
"Batteries run out, [this] doesn't," researcher Dr Scott Moss said.
Defence also showed off a device called The Ox, a robot attached to a soldier's leg to lessen the carrying load two-thirds, and a small black device uncovering dangerous substances in the air, allowing the user to apply their safety mask.
But the technologies on show aren't just useful during battle.
The Digital Video Guard protects soldiers against cyber-attacks.
"People could be listening in on your computer or intercepting, but we've added an extra box which effectively scrambles the video signals so people can't interpret what you're seeing," Dr Zelinsky said.
Despite the 2200 scientists at DST constantly moving forward, the challenges they face are becoming harder to solve, Dr Zelinsky says.
"We've got to continue to remind the government and taxpayers that science and technology does make a difference and it will lead to a more prosperous, secure and sustainable Australia."
