Real life Iron man: Comic book fan builds exoskeleton

By Bunmi Adigun @Bunmi_Adigun

A COMIC book lover turned wacky inventor has come one-step closer to realising his dream of becoming a superhero - by building his very own exoskeleton

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Videographer / director: James Hobson
Producer: Bunmi Adigun, Nick Johnson
Editor: Joshua Douglas

Iron man: James Hobson aka the 'Hacksmith' lifts a mini cooper using his exoskeleton

The prototype has already allowed James Hobson, 25, to curl 170lbs, lift a Mini Cooper with ease and even pick up a truck.

Motivation: The inventor was inspired by comic book hero Iron man

The prototype has already allowed James Hobson, 25, to curl 170lbs, lift a Mini Cooper with ease and even pick up a truck.

James, from Ontario, Canada, hand built the exoskeleton in his garage - which he has dubbed the ‘Inventorium’.

Inspired by one of his favourite comic book characters, Tony Stark - aka Iron Man, played by Robert Downey Jr in the Hollywood film franchise - James set up his own company called Hacksmith Industries.

Smashing stuff: James posts updates of his build on to his YouTube channel the Hacksmith

Like his childhood hero, James designs and builds an array of weapons and devices - attributing his passion for building machines to his love of comic books.

He said: "I’ve always liked comic books and superheroes. I feel like we've gotten to a point where technology is starting to catch up with science fiction and make-believe.’

Origin story: It was James's friend that helped get him started on his exoskeleton after gifting him two pneumatic cylinders

The inventor has built up a following online for his creative approach to engineering with over 900,000 people subscribed to his YouTube channel.

High hopes: Inventor James Hobson hopes to have completed his exoskeleton by the end of 2016

Going by the name the ‘Hacksmith’, James treats his followers to weekly updates on his latest builds, from electrified claws to helmets with thermal vision.

Pumping iron: The upper part of the exoskeleton allows James to curl a huge amount of weight

Holding a bachelors degree in engineering, James decided to quit his job as a product developer for tech company Christie Digital to dedicate his time to his passion of inventing and building crazy contraptions.

He said: “Two years ago, my friend gave me some pneumatic cylinders - which are normally pretty expensive - so I decided to try making a prototype exoskeleton.

Easy: James smiles as he easily lifts cinder blocks in his garden

“Since then I've worked on new designs, and just a few months ago quit my full-time job to pursue exoskeletons and YouTube full-time."

James hopes to use his exoskeletons to help people

James hopes his YouTube channel and his passion for building will help him reach his goal of utilising technology to help others.

He said: "I hope to make a living off YouTube and then use that popularity to crowdsource a company building exoskeletons for medical use."

James builds an array of different gadgets on his YouTube channel

And the engineer has other plans for his creation, which he hopes to have completed by the end of 2016.

"I plan on doing a full body exoskeleton to greatly augment a person’s strength. It will also be modular, so it can be modified to suit different purposes,” he added.