While money and technology aren’t typically considered “superpowers”—unless you’re Iron Man or Batman—a Russian engineer has taken a significant step toward becoming a real-life Iron Man by constructing his own suit, complete with a personal hydrogen reactor.

Alex Burkan, who shares his journey on his YouTube channel, Alex Lab, dedicated six years to this ambitious project. What began as simple sketches has transformed into an impressive feat of engineering and technology.

In 2018, the engineer embarked on his project in a cramped space with minimal resources, relying on a “box of scraps” to realize his vision. Rather than a traditional arc reactor, he has been utilizing a hydrogen reactor to aid in the suit’s development.

To replicate Robert Downey Jr.’s movements from the MCU, Alex Burkan developed a pneumatic sensor system that synchronizes his body movements with the suit. He also engineered a plasma propulsion system for the suit’s jet thrusters and laser-like cutter.

I assembled several electrolysers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen and produce high-octane fuel gas mixture for the suit.

Then I realized that the electrolyser can be used not only as a source of fuel, but also as a compact but powerful compressor, which means it can be used to activate artificial muscles and other pneumatic stuff.

Burkan needed to acquire completely new skills to build the suit, and he recently shared an update on achieving the ideal weight for the helmet:

I had to master casting. I tried to avoid this for many years, because I knew that casting is indeed a fragile and expensive process. But this seems to be the only way to make the helmet as light as I need it to be

Therefore, I dedicated this few months to mastering new technology. Master model on a 3D printer, silicone mold, composite shell, 2K plastic for rotocasting, fiberglass, carbon, Kevlar. But most importantly, in the end I was able to achieve the coveted 700g!

Source: YouTube

To witness the entire journey, be sure to visit Burkan’s YouTube channel. The fan responses have been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re hopeful for a live demonstration soon!

Do you have any thoughts to share? Let us know in the comments!