flexiable armor during the olympics

[dragon]

Kind of cool tech that have many uses outside of just this situation.

futuristic flexible material that instantly hardens into armour upon impact will protect US and Canadian skiers from injury on the slalom runs at this year's Winter Olympics.

The lightweight bendable material, known as d3o, can be worn under normal ski clothing. It will provide protection for US and Canadian skiers taking part in slalom and giant slalom races in Turin, Italy. Skiers normally have to wear bulky arm and leg guards to protect themselves from poles placed along the slalom run.

Skiwear company Spyder, based in Colorado, US, developed racing suits incorporating d3o along the shins and forearms and offered members of the US and Canadian Olympic alpine ski teams the chance to try them out several months ago. "Now they love it and won't ski without it," claims Richard Palmer, CEO of UK-based d3o Labs, which developed the material.

Although the exact chemical ingredients of d3o are a commercial secret, Palmer says the material is synthesised by mixing together a viscose fluid and a polymer. Following synthesis, liquid d3o is poured into a mould that matches the shape of the body part it will protect.

Brief impact
The resulting material exhibits a material property called "strain rate sensitivity". Under normal conditions the molecules within the material are weakly bound and can move past each with ease, making the material flexible. But the shock of sudden deformation causes the chemical bonds to strengthen and the moving molecules to lock, turning the material into a more solid, protective shield.

In laboratory testing, d3o-guards provided as much protection as most conventional protective materials, its makers claim. But Phil Green, research director at d3o Labs, says it is difficult to precisely measure the material's properties because the hardening effect only last as long as the impact itself.

However, Green believes it may be possible to alter the properties of d3o for new impact-protection and anti-trauma applications. "There are certainly opportunities to dabble with the chemistry and enhance the effect," he told New Scientist.

Another potential application may be sound-proofing. The propagation of sound waves should generate a similar strain to an impact, so it may be feasible to create a material that becomes more sound proof in response to increasing noise. "It could have some very interesting, unexplored properties," Green says.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns? ... news_rss20

[Eleas]

In laboratory testing, d3o-guards provided as much protection as most conventional protective materials, its makers claim. But Phil Green, research director at d3o Labs, says it is difficult to precisely measure the material's properties because the hardening effect only last as long as the impact itself.

This sounds a wee bit odd. Isn't it possible to merely make an impact test like they do in the car industry?

[dragon]

In laboratory testing, d3o-guards provided as much protection as most conventional protective materials, its makers claim. But Phil Green, research director at d3o Labs, says it is difficult to precisely measure the material's properties because the hardening effect only last as long as the impact itself.

This sounds a wee bit odd. Isn't it possible to merely make an impact test like they do in the car industry?

It seems like they would be able to. Hell just stick on of those dummies with the sensor that record damage in to it. Then start banging it around and see what kind of damage the sensor indicates.

[drachefly]

Well of course that's how they measured how good a job it did. But it can be hard to get the intrinsic properties of the material if they have more dependencies than you're used to.

[aerius]

Sounds like high-tech Silly Putty.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Sounds like high-tech Silly Putty.

It's the same idea, yes. The basic premise can be illustrated using custard. Poor enough custard into a paddling pool then walk along in it. You'll sink. Run across that same pool and you likely won't even get dirty feet. Custard, silly putty and this material all exhibit a property where any input of KE causes an otherwise soft material to become rigid via compression. Quite clever, I'm sure this armour has been tested out by the military too lately.

[dragon]

Sounds like high-tech Silly Putty.

It's the same idea, yes. The basic premise can be illustrated using custard. Poor enough custard into a paddling pool then walk along in it. You'll sink. Run across that same pool and you likely won't even get dirty feet. Custard, silly putty and this material all exhibit a property where any input of KE causes an otherwise soft material to become rigid via compression. Quite clever, I'm sure this armour has been tested out by the military too lately.

There's been several version the military was working, including liquid armor that hardens when kinetic energy hits it. The more energy the stronger it gets. There was also one that was a type of smart material that when a the kinetic energy hits the material it rearranges the molecular structure causing it to harden. There been a couple of others which I can't think off the type of my head right now.

[Winston Blake]

Sounds like high-tech Silly Putty.

It's the same idea, yes. The basic premise can be illustrated using custard. Poor enough custard into a paddling pool then walk along in it. You'll sink. Run across that same pool and you likely won't even get dirty feet. Custard, silly putty and this material all exhibit a property where any input of KE causes an otherwise soft material to become rigid via compression. Quite clever, I'm sure this armour has been tested out by the military too lately.

If you don't want to spend all that money on custard, alternatively you could fill a bowl with a sticky mix of cornflour and water, then punch it. Punch slow, it slops over your hand. Punch fast, you hand just bounces off. Shear thickening fluid = teh win. IIRC it's already being used to make kevlar vests stab and impact resistant, along the lines of hitting it with an ice-pick and not penetrating.

Magneto-rheological fluid is the other one, which goes stiff when you bring a magnet near. It's decades away from being practical though (i think it's meant for the Future Force Warrior armour), and i won't be surprised if it turns out to be a dead end. It just seems so wank.

[John of the Dead]

If you don't want to spend all that money on custard, alternatively you could fill a bowl with a sticky mix of cornflour and water, then punch it. ...<snip>

I think you mean corn starch. Unless you're making a tasty cornbread. Corn starch in water is tons of fun, and has the properties you described - with no force applied, it flows normally. When a force is applied, it hardens and resists flow, and can even resist shear forces, something Newtonian fluids can't do. You can hold a handful of it in a ball, but if you open your hand, it runs right through your fingers.

Man, now I have to run out and buy some corn starch. And maybe some green food coloring, for even more fun.

[Cyborg Stan]

Reminds me of this video posted in this thread.

[Winston Blake]

If you don't want to spend all that money on custard, alternatively you could fill a bowl with a sticky mix of cornflour and water, then punch it. ...<snip>

I think you mean corn starch.

Apparently corn starch and cornflour are the same thing, it's just that i'm Australian.

[the wicked prince]

interesting.. the description reminds me of what is theorized about the properties of mountain pattern armor

[LaCroix]

Where can I get that stuff???

Looks greepy.. Maybe one could make a padded Vest out of it for SCA use and so...

[LadyTevar]

Where can I get that stuff???

Looks greepy.. Maybe one could make a padded Vest out of it for SCA use and so...

Maybe for fencing, but I doubt they'll allow it for heavy weapons.

And you just proved you are a TRUE member of the SCA, by seeing an item and immediately thinking "Wow! I can use this in the SCA!"