Звездный десант

           Butifmysuitgetsreallysick,Icallthedoctor—adoctorofscience(electromechanicalengineering)whoisastaffNavalofficer,usuallyalieutenant(read"captain"forourranks),andispartoftheship’scompanyofthetrooptransport—orwhoisreluctantlyassignedtoaregimentalheadquartersatCampCurrie,afate-worse-than-deathtoaNavyman.

           Butifyoureallyareinterestedintheprintsandstereosandschematicsofasuit’sphysiology,youcanfindmostofit,theunclassifiedpart,inanyfairlylargepubliclibrary.Forthesmallamountthatisclassifiedyoumustlookupareliableenemyagent—"reliable"Isay,becausespiesareatrickylot;he’slikelytosellyouthepartsyoucouldgetfreefromthepubliclibrary.

           Buthereishowitworks,minusthediagrams.Theinsideofthesuitisamassofpressurereceptors,hundredsofthem.Youpushwiththeheelofyourhand;thesuitfeelsit,amplifiesit,pusheswithyoutotakethepressureoffthereceptorsthatgavetheordertopush.That’sconfusing,butnegativefeedbackisalwaysaconfusingideathefirsttime,eventhoughyourbodyhasbeendoingiteversinceyouquitkickinghelplesslyasababy.Youngchildrenarestilllearningit;that’swhytheyareclumsy.Adolescentsandadultsdoitwithoutknowingtheyeverlearnedit—andamanwithParkinson’sdiseasehasdamagedhiscircuitsforit.

           Thesuithasfeedbackwhichcausesittomatchanymotionyoumake,exactly—butwithgreatforce.

           Controlledforce...forcecontrolledwithoutyourhavingtothinkaboutit.