11
"Within a Week, You Won't Even Miss Your Real Hand!"
Popular Mechanics
"Gentlemen, three men died to bring you the Jack-o-matic prototype ..."
Now this is bullshit. This photo was taken about 50 years ago -- why are we not all wearing mech suits right now? We understand that this dude was almost certainly killed by Superman days after this photo was taken, but somebody should have picked up where he left off and given us all the terrifying cyborg future we deserve (which, of course, we would all simply know as "the present").
This is a 1965 General Electric concoction called the Hardiman, one that we're fairly certain they have never used to coerce deadbeats into paying their electric bills. Their goal was to build the ultimate human helper, a giant mechanical exoskeleton that provided "super strength for average man." Strenuous tasks and the handling of dangerous materials would no longer be a hassle, as the ton-plus of steel enveloping your body would easily handle all the heavy lifting. You know, like how Doctor Octopus just wanted help doing his experiments.
Popular Mechanics
This is what happens when a Village Person turns to supervillainy.
The problem was, it was too heavy, and GE abandoned the Hardiman in 1971, never promoting it past prototype level. Come on, guys, how the hell is Ripley going to defeat the alien queen if we don't get this shit working?
10
At One Time, G.I. Joe Vehicles Existed in Real Life
Modern Mechanix
And were inspected by spiffy swing trios.