Jetpack Could Rocket Runners to 4-Minute Mile

      The newest jetpack won't help you realize your dreams of soaring across the sky, but it could help you run a mile in just four minutes.

The prototype jetpack, which is still undergoing testing and development, is lightweight, battery-powered and worn much like a backpack. The futuristic-looking device has so far enabled one wearer to shave about 20 seconds off his time when running a mile around an outdoor track, according to Jason Kerestes, a graduate student of engineering and robotics at Arizona State University who leads the jetpack project.

To get the jetpack up to speed, the researchers are taking a closer look at the physics behind the device. Like most jetpacks, the one developed by Kerestes and his team operates by generating thrust, or a propulsive force that moves the person wearing the device forward at a faster pace. In order for the jetpack to have any effect, it must create enough thrust to make up for its own weight, Kerestes said.

     The researchers are also developing prototypes using different materials, including carbon fiber, which they said they hope will decrease the weight of the jetpack by about 5 lbs. This lighter device will get runners moving even faster and will also allow the researchers to add more batteries to the device so that users can wear it for longer periods of time before it loses power, Kerestes said.