Engineers Develop Origami-Inspired Bulletproof Shield To Protect Police Officers

Tech Times ^ | 18 February 2017, 6:24 am EST | Alyssa Navarro

[BenLurkin]

he new bulletproof shield developed by Howell and his colleagues can be folded compactly when not in use. It is also much easier to deploy and transport.

When expanded, which only takes five seconds, the bulletproof shield can offer cover for police officers and shield them from bullets such as the 9 mm, .44 Magnum and .357 Magnum.

This new shield is also lightweight, weighing only 55 pounds. It was built with 12 layers of Kevlar and a common creasing origami-like pattern, which makes it foldable into a more manageable size.

During tests, the bulletproof shield prototype proved to be surprisingly efficient. Howell said they suspected that a bullet as big as .44 Magnum would tip over, but it didn't happen.

"The barrier is very stable, even with large bullets hitting it," he said.

The prototypes were constructed to be protective and stiff, while maintaining the flexibility of Kevlar fabric. Since this material was sensitive to water and sunlight, as well as susceptible to abrasion and fraying, Howell and his team made sure to reinforce it against the environment.

Researchers believe their bulletproof shield will not only be efficient for law enforcement, but it can also be deployed in case of grave emergencies, including school shootings or when someone is injured during a hostage situation.

[Celtic Conservative]

I think autocorrect might’ve mangled your response, there Centurion.

CC