Omni-directional mobility gear (Anime)

The omni-directional mobility gear (立体機動装置) is a type of equipment developed by humans that allows great mobility when facing the Titans in combat. It allows the user to fight in a 3D space as opposed to a 2D one. The equipment itself takes the form of a body harness that encompasses much of the body below the neck.

Although the equipment can grant a skilled user tremendous mobility, it is a demanding art that requires both strength and skill, both of which must be honed through constant practice.

Some tools involved in the apparatus include:


 * Hand grips
 * Piston-shot grapple-hooks
 * Gas-powered mechanism
 * Iron wire propeller with plug-in blades

Usage
The simplest move possible with the ODM gear is simply aiming and firing the grapple hooks at an object and then activating the gas mechanism to reel oneself toward the said object. They can then disconnect the hook and continue moving forward.

Usually however, soldiers must be able to move around in order to navigate in general. Therefore, they tend to use their momentum in order to swing around targets, not only in rectilinear patterns, but also slaloming between objects and Titans. The gas mechanism is so powerful that it can stop a person from falling without using the hooks.

The ODM gear tends to be less efficient in open spaces because the user does not have too many spots where the hooks can be reeled. However, the hooks are able to pierce Titan flesh and ODM gear can be as fast or even faster than a Titan.

More advanced techniques include changing directions while still being reeled in as demonstrated by Jean Kirschtein.

While the omni-directional mobility gear has been largely superseded by its anti-personnel counterpart in 854 (in particular its scabbard position) and differences in straps, older gears are still in service with Cadet Corps members.

Mechanics
Main Housing — The winch resides inside a housing, located on the wearer's lower back. There are two independent shafts, with spools of steel wire.

Controller Grip — The system is control via a pair of hand held controllers which also serve as hilts for the wearer's swords. The inner workings of the controllers are a closely guarded secret. The technical department manages and improves this system under strict security. The top trigger fires the anchor with the bottom trigger firing compressed gas. Pulling the lever reels the wire back in, letting go makes it stop. The hammer switch located at the back allows the angle of fire for both anchor mechanisms to be adjusted while the auxiliary switchs release and lock the blades in place. The control grip is approximately 18cm in height.

Compressed Gas Cylinder — Two cylinders, one on each sheath, store compressed gas which is used to both fire and retract the grapples.

Blades — The blades are made from an Ultrahard steel, which is both supple and strong, capable of rending Titan flesh. It can only be manufactured in the blast furnaces of factory cities. Soldiers usually carry more blades in boxes built at the sides of their thighs.

Turbine — Gas from the cylinders is blown directly into the turbine powers the winch to retract the grapple cables. The pressure of the gas is regulated to control how quickly the cable are retracted.

Training
ODM gear training is a rigorous process that allows humans, which are limited to two-dimensional movements, to adapt to movement in the third dimension.

Great physical strength, particularly in the legs, coupled with spatial recognition abilities, as well as the mental strength to not waver in the midst of a panic, are crucial qualities.

One of the first things done after enlisting in training is the ODM gear aptitude evaluation. Those unable to remain upright are dismissed.

“Those incapable [of staying upright] aren't suited to even be used as decoys!”

Three years of training are needed before officially becoming a soldier. Many run away or are driven out before graduating. The training is so intense that some people actually die during the process.

The training strengthens the soldiers' muscles to a degree far greater than any normal civilian when you consider the requirement of force of acceleration, shock of landing, performing consecutive quick leaps repeatedly and accelerating at extremely high speeds. This leads to the soldiers acquiring a low body fat percentage.

Trivia

 * The Beast Titan showed great interest in the ODM gear, apparently having never encountered it before his meeting with Miche Zacharius.
 * A variation of this device involves using the standard body and harnesses of the equipment, but replacing the sword blades with explosive rods used to incapacitate or destroy armored opponents (such as the Armored Titan).

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