Posted on 03/02/2009 8:43:55 PM PST by an amused spectator
On the face of it a layer of orange jelly may not sound the best way to protect a soldier's head from high velocity bullets and shrapnel.
But the British Army's standard-issue combat helmet is set to be upgraded with a liner made from gooey miracle gel, which responds to a sudden impact by locking instantly into a solid form - absorbing huge amounts of energy harmlessly.
A UK-based technology company was today celebrating a £100,000 contract from the Ministry of Defence to develop its D3O shock-absorbing gel to help save the lives of British troops fighting on the frontline in Afghanistan.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
They better make sure it’s not just cornstarch and water.
If that works, that’s wonderful. I love technology.
Can they do flak jackets or bulletproof vests made out of this? That is, would they be better/lighter than Kevlar?
Beat me to it! “Thixotropic” - great stuff.
Great, but you still have to do something with the energy (mv^2)/2 of that projectile. This may stop it, but the guy with the helmet still feels plenty of shock. The good news is he feels it (meaning he’s alive)...
Uh oh! They make an iPhone protector, too.
http://www.d3o.com/products.php?section=4 scroll down a bit.
IIRC this super gel was featured on ‘Future Weapons’ a year or two ago.
It’s also stab proof, and Mack bent the tip of an ice pick trying to penetrate the stuff.
This seems rather of use where flexibility is required, like in body armor. For helmets there are probably materials which offer higher protection at the same weight.
Crushes what penetrates it? No thanks. Been there done that.
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