Modern-day warfighters face heavy—literally—odds on the battlefield, as they often carry more than 100 pounds of gear, including body armor, weapons and night-vision technology. Such loads can slow them down, reduce agility and result in fatigue, joint sprains or long-term ailments like arthritis or chronic back problems.

Marine Corps Times recently recognized the major contributions made by the Virtual Soldier Research Project (VSR) at the UI Center for Computer-Aided Design (CCAD) to create GruntSim™, a body mechanics simulator.