0:00:02 > 0:00:03- This is... - Absolute Genius.
0:00:03 > 0:00:04Argh!
0:00:04 > 0:00:05Come with us as we dive
0:00:05 > 0:00:08into the wonderful world of technology.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09This is mind-blowing!
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Each show, we introduce you to geniuses whose inventions
0:00:12 > 0:00:15- have changed the world for ever. - Argh! Oh!
0:00:15 > 0:00:17'We then take their tech and supersize it
0:00:17 > 0:00:19'in our genius tech challenge.'
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Dear, no!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23'The question is - can we pull it off?'
0:00:23 > 0:00:24Is this his brain?
0:00:24 > 0:00:28'If you love gadgets, then strap yourself in.'
0:00:28 > 0:00:30- It's genius.- Absolute Genius.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31Whoo!
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Argh! Argh! Yeah!
0:00:34 > 0:00:37On this show, we look at how technology has helped us
0:00:37 > 0:00:39become superhuman.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44From the ability to breathe underwater to having extra limbs.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47Plus we'll be attempting to become indestructible superheroes
0:00:47 > 0:00:49in our Genius Tech challenge.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Ow!
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Today, we're going to find out how technology can turn YOU
0:01:28 > 0:01:29into a superhero.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30Get off that wall, Spider-Man.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- There's some new superheroes in town!- Yeah!
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- Who?- Us, of course.- Oh, yeah.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38We're going to introduce you to three geniuses
0:01:38 > 0:01:41and their inventions that can turn us into superheroes.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44So strap yourself in as we enter the hi-octane world
0:01:44 > 0:01:46of superhuman technology.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Us humans have always created inventions
0:01:51 > 0:01:54to push our bodies to the absolute limit.
0:01:54 > 0:01:55Whether it's being able to fly,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59lift breathtaking weight or move at breakneck speed,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03we're always striving to push the boundaries of our physical limits.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Which is exactly what our first genius did.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11For centuries, we've been trying to breathe underwater.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13But it wasn't until our first genius
0:02:13 > 0:02:15used technology to make that possible.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Ladies and gentlemen, introducing to you Jacques Cousteau.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Bonjour, idiots!
0:02:21 > 0:02:23IN FRENCH:
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Exactly.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Before Cousteau got his thinking cap on,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33deep-sea diving was a very different game.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Taking the plunge used to mean either being attached to the surface,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39or using systems that recycled oxygen,
0:02:39 > 0:02:40which could be very dangerous.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Cousteau dreamed of creating a truly free diving system,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46allowing people to dive deeper
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and stay down longer than was currently possible.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51And when he met an engineer called Emile Gagnan,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54they realized they could use technology from a car
0:02:54 > 0:02:56to create a unique diving system
0:02:56 > 0:02:58which would change the diving world forever.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02And it was called the Aqua-lung. Genius.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Cousteau's invention totally changed the diving world.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The Aqua-lung meant that it was now easier and safer than ever
0:03:08 > 0:03:11to explore the depths of the ocean.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13But how does it work?
0:03:15 > 0:03:17To find out how the Aqua-lung works,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20we've got genius helper Ann Bevan.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23She's been diving for over 40 years
0:03:23 > 0:03:26and has thousands of dives under her belt.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32- Hi, Ann.- Hello. - Nice to meet you. Hi, how are you?
0:03:32 > 0:03:33Good to meet you, yeah.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36So what was diving like before Cousteau's invention?
0:03:36 > 0:03:38- Ah, well, if you start at the very beginning...- Yeah.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- You just hold your breath. - Hold our breath?- Hold your breath.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44THEY INHALE DEEPLY
0:03:44 > 0:03:46- Yeah, I see.- See the problem? - You can run out quite quickly.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49You don't stay down for very long - that's the problem.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51And what about this? Is this the genius of Cousteau?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The genius of Cousteau is this here.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57This is a special valve, OK?
0:03:57 > 0:03:59And it works a bit like a cat flap.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01If you can imagine a cat flap in front of your mouth,
0:04:01 > 0:04:06when you breathe in, it opens the door - air comes in.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- Cat comes in.- When you stop breathing, it shuts, OK,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12and it doesn't let any more air in.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- OK. Got it, got it, got it.- OK?
0:04:14 > 0:04:16You just get the air that you need, get a breath.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19And you're not wasting the air.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21The Aqua-lung allowed divers to take in only as much oxygen
0:04:21 > 0:04:24as they needed from a tank of compressed air.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27It meant THEY controlled when they took the air, so less was wasted.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30And they could stay beneath the surface for longer.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Shall we go and test out Cousteau's genius?
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- Should do!- Yeah, we should. Thanks, Ann.- Thanks, Ann.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36Excellent - take care!
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Dick and I are about to get the superhuman power
0:04:39 > 0:04:41of breathing under water.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Which will be handy, because to test out the tech, we'll need to dive
0:04:45 > 0:04:49down six metres beneath the surface of this lake to retrieve a flag.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51But who knew diving gear could be so tight?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58DOM LAUGHS
0:04:58 > 0:05:00I can't talk properly!
0:05:00 > 0:05:03THEY LAUGH
0:05:03 > 0:05:04Is it a good look?
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Mais oui!
0:05:06 > 0:05:09'Cousteau's technology allows us to breathe underwater,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12'but as we've never dived in open waters,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14'first, we'll need to train in the shallows.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17'This lake is vast, deep and dark
0:05:17 > 0:05:18'so I'm quite nervous.'
0:05:18 > 0:05:20It's all right in the water.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21Oh, I'm sure it'll...
0:05:22 > 0:05:24That's it. Well done.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27'We start off breathing with the Aqua-lung
0:05:27 > 0:05:28'but out of water.'
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Can you breathe in and out OK?
0:05:32 > 0:05:34'And then getting more used to it
0:05:34 > 0:05:36'by putting our faces under the surface.'
0:05:36 > 0:05:38What we're going to do now - we're going to fully submerge.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41'But as we dive down, I really don't like the feel of it
0:05:41 > 0:05:43'and start to panic.'
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Go on, then. Keep on the railing.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54I've got your tank.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57If you start thinking about being underwater, then you start
0:05:57 > 0:06:00panicking about being underwater, because this is not normal -
0:06:00 > 0:06:01you shouldn't be underwater.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03'Speak for yourself, you big wuss bag!'
0:06:06 > 0:06:11'Check me out! I'm like Neptune. I'm at one with the fish.'
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- He's doing all right, though, isn't he?- He's doing fine, yeah.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17'Training complete, time for me to get out and get warm.'
0:06:17 > 0:06:21It's heavy when you get out of the water, isn't it? Eh?
0:06:21 > 0:06:23'Superhuman technology it may be -
0:06:23 > 0:06:26'But open water diving isn't for me.'
0:06:26 > 0:06:30All I'm doing is still thinking about what I've just been through.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32'Looks like I'll be testing out the tech and retrieving the flag,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34'on my own.'
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Right, it's time to put the genius of Cousteau into practice.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Jess over there has a flag
0:06:41 > 0:06:44which she's going to lower down to six metres.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45- You've got to find that flag.- Right.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Easy as that. - What d'you mean, "easy as that"?
0:06:47 > 0:06:50It's all right for you to say that dressed in your civvies,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52stood on the side having a cup of tea!
0:06:52 > 0:06:53"As easy as that!"
0:06:53 > 0:06:56I'll be watching from the comfort of the side of the lake.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58All right, Jess? Can you drop the flag, please?
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Go get the flag. - Bon Voyage, Dominic!
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Bye bye, Dominic. Bye bye.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16It's thanks to Cousteau's Aqua-lung that I'm able to breathe down here
0:07:16 > 0:07:17for such a long time.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Thankfully, I'm being joined by a team of instructors.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22He's been under for about five minutes now
0:07:22 > 0:07:25but with that Aqua-lung, he could be under that water for half an hour.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29You would never, ever be able to hold your breath for that long.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33I think he's nearly all the way down now,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36but will he be able to find the flag?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38'After swimming around the murky depths
0:07:38 > 0:07:42'for what feels like forever, suddenly I spot something.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43'It's the flag.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48'Come here, come here.
0:07:48 > 0:07:49'Got it!'
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Is this him? Are they here?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56I think that's the flag.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58Yes!
0:07:58 > 0:08:01'Right, with that done, it's time for an Earl Grey.'
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Good work.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05MUFFLED SPEECH
0:08:05 > 0:08:08So what was it like, going that deep?
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- It actually became really calm and nice.- Was it?- Yes, very nice.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Dom, you are a natural!
0:08:13 > 0:08:15The amazing thing is, as you experienced, we've just been
0:08:15 > 0:08:18breathing underwater and, 70 years ago, this just wasn't possible.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21It's all thanks to the genius of Cousteau.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24J'adore mon Aqua-lung!
0:08:24 > 0:08:26'Thanks to the genius of Cousteau,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28'humans can easily now swim with the fishes
0:08:28 > 0:08:30'and explore deeper than ever.'
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'But not all inventions to make us superhuman have been so genius.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40'Because it's now time for The Not So Genius Idea!'
0:08:41 > 0:08:45If you have ever needed some more energy when out for a run
0:08:45 > 0:08:47and you love tomatoes, well, fear not.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Because Japanese juice vendor Kagome teamed up with inventor Maywa Denki
0:08:51 > 0:08:53and this was the result.
0:08:53 > 0:08:59This piggy-back-inspired invention feeds the runner tomatoes on demand.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01The thought process is that the tomatoes
0:09:01 > 0:09:05give you much-needed antioxidants which are lost during running.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07But, unsurprisingly, it never caught on.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10So don't expect Mo Farah to be chomping on tomatoes
0:09:10 > 0:09:12in the next London Marathon!
0:09:14 > 0:09:17We're now well and truly on the road to becoming superheroes.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Thanks to the Aqua-lung, we can breathe underwater.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21There are still loads of things we want to do,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23but our bodies won't allow us to do them.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Like the ability to become indestructible.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27For example, if I do this...
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- it hurts.- That really hurt!
0:09:29 > 0:09:31You see? But thanks to our next genius,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Dick is going to be given the power of body armour.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Ladies and gentlemen, we give to you our second superhuman genius -
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Stephanie Kwolek.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Behave, naughty boys!
0:09:41 > 0:09:43What's she like?
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Stephanie Kwolek was a scientist who, in the 1960s,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49accidentally stumbled across a chemical
0:09:49 > 0:09:51that was going to change the world.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55Her discovery was initially dismissed by her peers,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57but Stephanie knew she was onto something
0:09:57 > 0:10:01and her persistence led to a material which was not only extremely light,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04but five times stronger than steel.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07And we called it Kevlar.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10Kevlar was born and is now used in tonnes of products,
0:10:10 > 0:10:15including bicycle tyres, aeroplanes and protective body armour,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17like the vests worn by the police.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Before Kevlar, the only armour in existence was, well, armour really.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26But the problem with it was, it was really, really heavy.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Isn't that right, medieval features?
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Yes, it's very heavy - I'm not happy.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- Right, OK. But I am as protected as he is.- Huh?
0:10:34 > 0:10:38- Why? Cos I'm wearing Kevlar.- How does that work, then?- Oh, I dunno.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40If only there was a damsel in distress that could help us.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42- Well, Fran's here.- Hello.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43You ready?
0:10:43 > 0:10:45'Meet Fran, our scientist friend
0:10:45 > 0:10:48'who can explain things in a way even we can understand.'
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- Oh!- Oh, no, no, no!
0:10:50 > 0:10:52'And she loves a good experiment.'
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Exactly.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'Best of all, she pops up whenever we need her most.'
0:10:56 > 0:10:59- Hello!- Oh, hey, Fran!
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Oh! That's better.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04So, Fran, why was Stephanie's discovery of Kevlar so important?
0:11:04 > 0:11:05Well, before Stephanie,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07we didn't have great ways to protect ourselves.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Obviously, we could use metal plates like with your armour,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12but they're quite heavy, aren't they?
0:11:12 > 0:11:13Mm. Tell me about it.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16With Kevlar, not only is it flexible, it's lightweight,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18so it makes it much more practical.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Yeah, very practical, but surely...I mean, look at it.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22- Yeah.- It's not very thick, is it, Franny?
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Well, the thing is, Dom, it's not about thickness.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26It's about absorbing energy.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29If you have a look here, right, we've got a bowl of water.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33- This is water.- And I've got a stone. - Yes.- If you drop it through...
0:11:33 > 0:11:34goes right to the bottom.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38It doesn't take much energy to go through it, but with Kevlar,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Kevlar takes a ridiculous amount of energy to go through.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44A bit like our tub of sand here.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- Kevlar is absorbing the energy. - Exactly.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Amazing. Now this was invented in the '60s - that was a long time ago.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Surely there's something that's come on the market
0:11:54 > 0:11:55that's rivalled it since?
0:11:55 > 0:11:57There's only one Kwolek!
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Ah, well, I've got something that might.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Come with me and I'll show you.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Orange goo.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- Well, yes, but tell you what - feel it.- What's it like?
0:12:08 > 0:12:10It's like chewing gum or something.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Ah! Well, this is actually D30 and it was invented back in 1999
0:12:14 > 0:12:17and it's used in some products that are already on the market.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20But the really interesting and cool thing about this is,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24- it's what's known as non-Newtonian fluid.- What does that mean?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27So, in this basic form, it runs like a liquid.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28In there, it's really thick.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Yeah, so if you hit it with enough force, hard enough and quick enough,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34then it all locks together and it acts like a solid.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37It can absorb energy. Let me show you. Put your hand on the table.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42That's it. I'll get a nice big bit. Let's put that on top of your hand.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Cos what I can do is I can get a hammer...
0:12:44 > 0:12:46- Hey!- Hold the phone.- No, no, no.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51Please don't try this at home, kids. This is science.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53When I hit it, the particles within there
0:12:53 > 0:12:55should lock together, make it act like a solid...
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- What do you mean, "Should"?! - ..and absorb the impact.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Argh!
0:13:00 > 0:13:03- Are you all right? - No! I'm not all right!
0:13:03 > 0:13:04- OK.- Wah! Argh!
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Oh. Amazing!
0:13:09 > 0:13:11But this is not the only non-Newtonian fluid
0:13:11 > 0:13:12that's out there.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15There are some that you could even make in your kitchen.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19I don't know about you, but this is really hitting the mark!
0:13:19 > 0:13:22All we have to do is mix some water with cornflour.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24And, pretty quickly, it's gooey.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Ah, I see. Now that's bizarre.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30So we have made a non-Newtonian fluid.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- Can you see that I'm making a sort of ball?- Yeah.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35The moment I let it be and stop pushing on it so hard,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37it's going to turn into a liquid.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- Are you ready?- Go on, then.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- Oh!- Franny!
0:13:43 > 0:13:47'We've found about the genius behind Kevlar and, thanks to Fran,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52'we know about the science behind liquids that can become solid.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58'But, Fran being Fran, she's devised an elaborate experiment
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'to demonstrate how non-Newtonian fluids can work on a big scale.'
0:14:02 > 0:14:04So this is a little bit more,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06but this is exactly the same stuff that we had over there.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08- It's Oobleck.- Oobleck.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10It's just like a liquid if I don't push it
0:14:10 > 0:14:14but if I punch it with this hand - it turns into a solid.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16If you walk with enough force,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20you should be able to walk all the way across the trough.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22- Shall we do it?- Do it. Think you're ready?
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Go on, then. What, so - just run like this?
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- Yeah. Exactly like that. - Three, two, one - go.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- Yeah, do it! - FRAN LAUGHS
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- Amazing.- I'm shocked!
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- It worked.- It did work. - I didn't sink at all.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35It was like running along a piece of wood.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39That's because you were pushing down with your foot.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43As you pushed down with your foot, it turned to a solid.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45This stuff is amazing!
0:14:45 > 0:14:47But the thing is, walking on Oobleck,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49I think we can do better than that.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- I've got my bike.- Right. You're going to cycle across it?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- Well, I thought it would be good if YOU cycled across it, Rich.- Me?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Now these are controlled circumstances, aren't they, here?
0:14:57 > 0:15:00We've got professionals. You can't see them,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03but they're all around us. This is a controlled experiment, OK?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06'I've just got to keep on moving, otherwise I'll sink.'
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Go on, go on, go on.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Yay!
0:15:11 > 0:15:13That's awesome.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16'Even with a heavy bike, it reacts in the same way
0:15:16 > 0:15:20'and the top layer turns into a solid, allowing Dick to ride across.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:24After all that, my question is,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27why aren't we using Oobleck for protective gear?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Well, Oobleck is ridiculously messy, isn't it, right?
0:15:29 > 0:15:33But what we can do with D30 is we can form it into a foam,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35so you end up with a foam that can be flexible and soft
0:15:35 > 0:15:39when you don't apply much force, but hit it with enough force hard enough
0:15:39 > 0:15:42and it turns into a solid and spreads out the force of an impact.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44- Same results.- Yeah.- Different materials.- And not as messy.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I think we should find out how strong this stuff is.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48- Let's go and find out.- Bye, Fran.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54'Oobleck is pretty messy, but if you turn a non-Newtonian fluid
0:15:54 > 0:15:57'into a foam, you have a pretty protective substance.'
0:15:58 > 0:16:00But just how protective?
0:16:00 > 0:16:03We'll be finding out later in the show
0:16:03 > 0:16:06as we test having indestructible powers to the max.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11We're coming to the end
0:16:11 > 0:16:13of our journey through superhuman technology.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15We've managed to breathe underwater.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17- Well, I did. You freaked out and bottled it.- Ahem.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21And we've discovered materials that can make us have armour-plated skin.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24But what about real cool superhero stuff - you know, like Iron Man?
0:16:24 > 0:16:29For that, we will need our third and final genius, Mr Ralph Mosher.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30Howdy, Partners!
0:16:30 > 0:16:32- How do you do?- Hello.
0:16:33 > 0:16:38Back in the 1960s, America's Army wanted to create something
0:16:38 > 0:16:40that would give a human super strength.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Our genius, Ralph Mosher, rose to the challenge
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and built the world's first ever exoskeleton, the Hardiman.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52This was like something from a science fiction film,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55but it actually worked, allowing the user to lift
0:16:55 > 0:16:57up to the equivalent of four adults.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Even though the Hardiman was the first exoskeleton,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04they've come a long way since Mosher.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07And scientists have found millions of really cool uses for them
0:17:07 > 0:17:09to help us become superhuman.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10So we've come here to the
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16More commonly known as MIT, it's like a Hogwarts for tech heads.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Or a tech wort for hog heads!
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Here at the labs at MIT, they're working on a number of exoskeletons
0:17:25 > 0:17:28to give people greater strength and mobility.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Helping explain everything exoskeleton
0:17:33 > 0:17:36is one of the world's best minds in the field -
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Professor Harry Asada!
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Professor Asada, nice to meet you.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43- Nice to meet you.- Hello, Professor.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Would you say that Mosher was very inspirational
0:17:46 > 0:17:48in terms of your work you're doing today?
0:17:48 > 0:17:54Yeah, it was not conceivable to put such a machine on the body
0:17:54 > 0:17:55and he did.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00Yeah, so that was the first big milestone in this area.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04You can actually carry a much heavier object than you can carry.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Right? You can move things much more quickly.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Or you can reach something that you can't reach.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- Can we see that happening? - Sure, sure.- Right.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13'The team at Professor Asada's lab
0:18:13 > 0:18:17'are taking Mosher's genius to the next level
0:18:17 > 0:18:19'and are using cutting-edge technology
0:18:19 > 0:18:21'to give humans robotic limbs.'
0:18:23 > 0:18:26'The robotic limbs mimic what my other hand is doing.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30'If I clench my fist, it sends a message to the limbs to close.'
0:18:30 > 0:18:31They're not even connected!
0:18:31 > 0:18:33'If I open my hand, they open.'
0:18:33 > 0:18:35I'm coming for ya!
0:18:35 > 0:18:38'And this is all done wirelessly.'
0:18:38 > 0:18:40- Try the bottle.- I need a drink.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- Normally...- You wouldn't be able to. - Squeeze it here.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46But, no, I've got a third limb.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49So I'm going to...
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Got it, got it, got it, got it. Is it a nice, tight grip?
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Now...
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- Drinkypoos?- Yeah.- Hey, Shazam!
0:18:58 > 0:19:03'It's good for opening bottles, but it's better for this.'
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Argh, argh! Oh!
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Play nicely, boys! That's not a toy.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12'And in the lab, they're not just working on robotic hands -
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'they're looking at giving people extra legs and arms.'
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Your legs are moving.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22'So who knows what we humans could look like in the future.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:23Thanks to the genius of Mosher,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26we can now lift weight way heavier than we could before.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30And even add limbs to our bodies to make us...well, just better!
0:19:30 > 0:19:33The invention of the exoskeleton has definitely helped us
0:19:33 > 0:19:36to become more superhuman and remember, this is just the start,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38because this technology is always improving.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Mosher, you are an absolute genius!
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Thanks, from yours truly.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48In this episode, we've learnt that, through technology,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50we can breathe underwater, have robotic limbs
0:19:50 > 0:19:53and have our own personal body armour.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Thanks to the genius of Cousteau, Kwolek and Mosher,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01we can become superhuman.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Which is what we're going to do in our Genius Tech challenge.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Someone like the Incredible Hulk can be indestructible
0:20:07 > 0:20:09without even getting a scratch
0:20:09 > 0:20:12and, thanks to D3O, we too can become indestructible.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Which is why we're going to become...
0:20:14 > 0:20:17the world's first human wrecking balls!
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Here's how it works. One of us will be attached to a swing.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25And will be smashed into a series of different walls.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- Ouch!- Well, not ouch,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31because our wonderful technology will make us rock solid.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33First up is the cardboard wall.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Next it's the plasterboard.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37And finally, a concrete wall.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41But who will be the human wrecking ball?
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Well, it's me. Again. Isn't it?- Yes, dear.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Typical. This is technology versus immovable objects!
0:20:51 > 0:20:53To turn Dom into a wrecking ball,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57we've got stunt co-coordinator Simon to oversee the whole stunt.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00So how is this going to make me superhuman?
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Well, let's explain a little about the suit you're wearing.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Specifically designed for stuntmen, so all the key areas are protected,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09So you've got the forearms, you've got the elbows,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12you've got a little bit of part of the tricep, your shoulders.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14So all of these pads that you mention on his body,
0:21:14 > 0:21:15inside there there's D30, yeah?
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- Yeah.- And how's that going to work when he actually hits the wall?
0:21:18 > 0:21:22On impact, they lock together to spread the impact over the pad.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24So it just lessens the impact...
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- ..as opposed to stopping it. - It's not stopping it.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Am I right in thinking as well,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37that this isn't necessarily a tried-and-tested,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39standard stunt to do?
0:21:39 > 0:21:41This has been specially kind of made for this?
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Well, we're still testing, so that's why we have you now!
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- You're the guinea pig. - You are the guinea pig today!
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Oh, get on with it. You've got a protective suit, Dom!
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'For safety reasons, before I have a go at smashing through these walls,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59'stuntman Dion gives me an idea of what I'm up against.'
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Right? That was easy enough.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07Not a problem.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10"Easy enough"? He's bust the whole thing. All the wood's come off.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Yeah, but look - you won't feel a thing!
0:22:13 > 0:22:15'Well, talk is cheap.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17'So it's time to get Dom into his harness...'
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It can be a little bit tighter.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21'..and make him a superhero!'
0:22:21 > 0:22:23- Let's go for it!- All right.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25OK, let's do it.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28'Cardboard first - an easy start.'
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Lift him up.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31- Here we go.- Oi!
0:22:31 > 0:22:35One second, did something snap? Aw, too late now.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Ooh! Oh! This is it!
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- Easy!- Easy.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- Yeah. Know what I'm saying? - Not a problem.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45All right. Don't break the set!
0:22:45 > 0:22:48'OK, so I might not be the most graceful superhero.'
0:22:48 > 0:22:51I've got to be honest - that was easy.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53'Well, Dom might be confident now,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56'but the second wall is much more difficult.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58'This time - it's plasterboard.'
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Cardboard was easy.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03- It feels like a piece of wood. - It's harder.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05'Plasterboard is what some walls are made out of.'
0:23:05 > 0:23:09- There's absolutely no give in it at all.- No, you have to break it.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Brace yourself and the suit will protect you.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13'I'll need EXTRA protection.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16'Helmet and gloves - on.'
0:23:16 > 0:23:18There's nothing we like better to see, is there,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22than Dom being flung into hard walls!
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Let's just hope he goes through it.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28- OK, ten seconds.- Here we go.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Ow! Wow!
0:23:34 > 0:23:35- Cor...- Yep?- Yep.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38It did it - it's all right, I'm alive.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46'Dom gets through the wall unhurt, but this is only possible
0:23:46 > 0:23:49'because the especially designed stunt suit protects him.'
0:23:49 > 0:23:51- It wasn't an enjoyable experience. - No.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53But it was an interesting experience.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Well, I've got something to tell you.- What?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- We're going to up the ante. - Up the ante?
0:23:57 > 0:23:58- Bring on the next wall!- Oh...
0:24:00 > 0:24:05'The final challenge is the most dangerous yet - a concrete wall.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08'This is the one that even the stunt team are worried about,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'as this has never been attempted before.'
0:24:11 > 0:24:12Needs to be a bit higher.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15- So that there's no impact with the head.- Right.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18'The seriousness of what's about to happen
0:24:18 > 0:24:19'is starting to sink in.'
0:24:19 > 0:24:22The thing that's making me feel worried,
0:24:22 > 0:24:27is seeing how concerned, um...
0:24:27 > 0:24:29all the stunt team are.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32So it started off with everyone joking about,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36you know, being fine with it, with the cardboard and plasterboard.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Now...it's kind of serious
0:24:39 > 0:24:42and they're all looking a bit more apprehensive.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It's going to be quite an impact.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Otherwise, because if it's so tight, he'll just hit it,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51cos I think everything will compress.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54'Remember, we have a team of professionals monitoring
0:24:54 > 0:24:58'what we're doing, not to mention a state-of-the-art stunt suit.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02'Even trying this under these conditions is dangerous,
0:25:02 > 0:25:03'so DON'T try this.'
0:25:03 > 0:25:08Of all the things we've done on Absolute Genius over the four series,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12this is the one I've got the most butterflies in my stomach.
0:25:12 > 0:25:13I'm not looking for to it.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17'This could be my biggest-ever challenge.'
0:25:19 > 0:25:22'I've got to say, even I'm worried about my best mate on this one.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26'If this goes wrong, Dom could get seriously hurt.'
0:25:26 > 0:25:29- How are you feeling? How's it going? - I'm so nervous!
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Right...
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Here goes nothing!
0:25:37 > 0:25:39'It's time to fly into a concrete wall
0:25:39 > 0:25:43'and trust that science and technology will protect me.'
0:25:45 > 0:25:46Here we go.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49My heart is beating so quick.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51'I've been through cardboard...'
0:25:55 > 0:25:57'..plasterboard...
0:25:58 > 0:25:59'..and now this.'
0:26:01 > 0:26:02Brace.
0:26:11 > 0:26:12I'm all right!
0:26:12 > 0:26:14I'm all right, I took out the whole wall.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19'Amazing! Thanks to the stunt suit,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22'Dom has managed to smash through a concrete wall
0:26:22 > 0:26:23'without a scratch on him.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'And it's only possible because of our understanding of science.'
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- Oh, my word! That was bizarre. - How did it feel?
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Not as bad as I'd psyched myself up for it to be.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39'The smashed concrete bricks are proof.'
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Thanks to the genius of technology, you now a superhero!
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- Ugh!- Covered in dust!- Ugh...
0:26:46 > 0:26:48'With the help of today's geniuses,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50'we've been able to push beyond the boundaries
0:26:50 > 0:26:52'of what our bodies can do.'
0:26:52 > 0:26:55'Whether that's breathing underwater,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58'wearing personal body armour or gaining extra limbs.'
0:26:59 > 0:27:01'Now the impossible IS possible.'
0:27:04 > 0:27:07On today's show, we have proved that being superhuman
0:27:07 > 0:27:09is not just something you see in the movies.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Yeah, and it's all been thanks to our three geniuses.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15- So thank you, Jacques Cousteau. - Stephanie Kwolek.- And Ralph Mosher.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- You're all...- Absolute Genius!
0:27:21 > 0:27:24HE LAUGHS
0:27:30 > 0:27:32THEY LAUGH
0:27:32 > 0:27:33Where's Rich gone?
0:27:35 > 0:27:37- Oh, it's stopped!- Argh!
0:27:37 > 0:27:38A long line is a BURRRR!
0:27:38 > 0:27:40I've got my fingers... ARGH!
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Wow! His head's fallen off!
0:27:42 > 0:27:44How did you find that? "Blew my head off!"
0:27:44 > 0:27:47Ha-ha! You can't end it like that!