Motorcycle and ski enthusiasts, among others, have known about d3o’s polymer compound for years and it actually saved my brother’s limbs from a nasty motorcycle accident last year. I first saw this material in the summer of 2007 at Spyder’s SIA booth.
Well, the British Army has finally wised up and contracted d3o Labs to line their 20-year-old Mark 6A helmets with the shock-absorbing material. The contract is worth £100,000 to be exact. But the Ministry of Defense isn’t stopping at just helmets. They’re hoping that it can be applied to the rest of the infantry’s armor because we know how restrictive those body suits can be or so I’ve been told.
Richard Palmer, CEO of d3o Lab, compared the transition of materials to RoboCop and Spider Man.
‘RoboCop is the past – heavily protected but bulky and cumbersome – whereas Spider-Man is more nimble, covert and flexible.
‘The gel works at a molecular level. When moved slowly the molecules will slip past each other, but in a high-energy impact they will snag and lock together, becoming solid, and in doing so they absorb energy.’
But that’s not all the MoD showcased today. They revealed what else they’ve shelled £2million towards and that includes the Testudo, which is a small vehicular robot that is deployed by troops for recon work by sending images back from enemy positions. Other designs showcased new rotor blades that would kick up less dust when helicopters are landing and unmanned aerial drones that work in packs or swarms that are linked to intelligence computers.
The MoD also released images of new bombers and tanks.
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via Daily Mail