DARPA Jetpacks by Arizona State University

Ya know who’s always been an underrated superhero? The Flash. Cool name, cool costume, and a simple but cool power. And because that power, the ability to run fast, is so simple, it’s well within the realm of possibilities to become a similarly skilled crime fighter. Now, the researchers at Arizona State University have come up with a jetpack that can close the gap between you and the guy in the red suit.

It doesn’t lift you off the ground, but the 11-pound pack can currently slice off three seconds from a 200-meter sprint, and one guy who wore it shaved a whopping 18 seconds from his mile time, down to 5:08. It’s being created for the military, but we’re sure if you ask nicely (and tell them you plan to fight crime with it) they’ll give you one.