Browse Topic: Protective clothing

Items (131)

TBMG-3853802/01/2021

According to research conducted by Markets and Markets (Northbrook, IL), the military wearables market is projected to grow from $4.2 billion in 2019 to $6.4 billion by 2025. That’s a 7.2% growth from 2019 in six short years. Soldier modernization programs that increase soldier coordination, rising asymmetric warfare, and potential geopolitical conflicts are all factors fueling the growth of this market.

Adapting to Manufacturing Challenges of COVID-19

TBMG-3855502/01/2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused great changes and challenges, disrupting not only the global marketplace but also the supply chains that keep people and essential businesses healthy and functioning. For example, amid an already growing market for infection-control gear and hygienic products made of nonwoven thermoplastic fabrics, COVID-19 has greatly strained and helped to reshape the global supply chain for nonwoven personal protective equipment (PPE).

Device Camouflages Wearer from Heat-Detecting Sensors

TBMG-3821512/01/2020

Researchers developed a wearable technology that can hide its wearer from heat-detecting sensors such as night vision goggles, even when the ambient temperature changes. The technology can adapt to temperature changes in just a few minutes, while keeping the wearer comfortable.

Upper Body Robotic Exoskeleton

TBMG-3817312/01/2020

A soft, wearable, robotic upper limb exoskeleton garment was designed to actively control the shoulder and elbow, both positioning the limb in specific orientations and commanding the limb through desired motions. The invention was developed to provide effective upper extremity motor rehabilitation for patients with neurological impairments (e.g., traumatic brain injury, stroke).

Oxygen System and Component Cleaning

ARP1176B (Current)

10/19/2020

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) provides recommended practices for the cleaning of aircraft oxygen equipment, both metallic and non-metallic articles, such as oxygen lines (tubes, hoses, etc.), components (including regulator and valve parts), cylinders, and ground-based equipment that may be used to support aircraft oxygen systems. This document also specifies work area details, methods for selecting suitable cleaning agents, cleaning methods, and test methods for verifying levels of cleanliness. The cleanliness coding scheme specified in this document provides a method for documenting minimum cleanliness level requirements and for identifying compliance.

A-10 Aircraft Oxygen Equipment Committee

Oxygen System and Component Cleaning

ARP1176B-TEST-REC (Historical)10/19/2020

A-10 Aircraft Oxygen Equipment Committee

Preliminary Development of an Integrated Mobility, Lethality, and Survivability Soldier Performance Testing Platform

20AERP08_0708/01/2020

Developing a methodology that incorporates objective measures of performance and is sensitive to changes in soldier-system equipment could help guide equipment manufacturers during product development and acquisition. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, Massachusetts In 2017, the US Army announced their modernization priorities as a means of maintaining their military strength. Six specific areas were targeted for focus improvement and development, with the first five being specific technologies or end products. The sixth was “Soldier Lethality” or a soldier's ability to shoot, move, communicate, protect and sustain by improving human performance and decision making. In an effort to support this priority area for those trying to make clothing and individual equipment (CIE) acquisition and development decisions, there is a desire for an integrated or holistic objective tool to measure soldier performance, specifically mobility, lethality and

Preliminary Development of an Integrated Mobility, Lethality, and Survivability Soldier Performance Testing Platform

TBMG-3737808/01/2020

In 2017, the US Army announced their modernization priorities as a means of maintaining their military strength. Six specific areas were targeted for focus improvement and development, with the first five being specific technologies or end products. The sixth was “Soldier Lethality” or a soldier’s ability to shoot, move, communicate, protect and sustain by improving human performance and decision making. In an effort to support this priority area for those trying to make clothing and individual equipment (CIE) acquisition and development decisions, there is a desire for an integrated or holistic objective tool to measure soldier performance, specifically mobility, lethality and survivability incorporating underlying measures of human factors, biomechanics and cognition.

5 Ws of Slip-Resistant Shoe Coatings

TBMG-3747608/01/2020

Anyone walking on icy or slippery surfaces.

Wool Mask Used to Fight Fires in Space Improves Fire Equipment on Earth

TBMG-3702706/01/2020

Spinoff is NASA’s annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.

Wearable Air Conditioning

TBMG-3684405/01/2020

One day, soldiers could cool down on the military battlefield — preventing heat stroke or exhaustion — by using wearable air conditioning, an on-skin device that offers numerous human healthcare applications such as the ability to monitor blood pressure, electrical activity of the heart, and the level of skin hydration.

Material Combination Strengthens Body Armor

TBMG-3638604/01/2020

A new combination of materials was developed that can prevent weaknesses in body armor. By adding a tiny amount of silicon to boron carbide (a material commonly used for making body armor) bullet-resistant gear can be made substantially more resilient to high-speed impacts.

Real Time Physiological Status Monitoring

TBMG-3661704/01/2020

Dismounted, foot-mobile soldiers currently use a wide variety of wearable technologies, e.g., GPS (global positioning system) /PNT (position, navigation, timing), night vision goggles (NVGs), rangefinders, radios, other Nett Warrior items, etc. These wearable technologies, i.e., electronic systems carried and used by soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, constitute the individual soldier’s technological ecosystem.

Production Method for High-Performance Polymer

TBMG-3619703/01/2020

A method was developed to produce a polymer material called PBO — known commercially as Zylon — that’s used in bulletproof vests and other high-performance fabrics. The new approach could be useful in making PBO products that resist degradation — a problem that has plagued PBO-based materials in the past.

Threads Detect Gases When Woven into Clothing

TBMG-3598902/01/2020

A fabrication method was developed to create dyed threads that change color when they detect a variety of gases. The threads can be read visually or even more precisely by use of a smartphone camera, to detect changes of color due to analytes as low as 50 parts per million. Woven into clothing, the gas-detecting threads could provide a reusable, washable, and affordable safety asset in medical, workplace, military, and rescue environments.

‘Hyper Glue’ Could Be Used for Medical Implants

TBMG-3601502/01/2020

Researchers hope to make everything from protective clothing to medical implants stronger and more corrosion resistant thanks to a newly developed hyper glue formula. The team of chemists and composite materials researchers discovered a broadly applicable method of bonding plastics and synthetic fibers at the molecular level in a procedure called cross-linking. The cross-linking takes effect when the adhesive is exposed to heat or long-wave UV light making strong connections that are both impact-resistant and corrosion-resistant. Even with a minimal amount of cross linking, the materials are tightly bonded.

Durable Polyimide Aerogels

TBMG-3572712/01/2019

Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have developed polyimide aerogel technologies that are 500 times stronger than traditional silica aerogels. These durable polyimide aerogels are highly flexible and foldable in contrast to traditional silica aerogels, which shed dust particles and are notoriously fragile and brittle. Polyimide aerogels possess remarkable strength, flexibility, and moisture resistance and make excellent “wrappable” insulators. No other aerogel possesses the compressive and tensile strength of this organic polyimide aerogel while still retaining its ability to be flexibly folded to contour to whatever shape is needed such as automotive shields, pipeline insulation, and protective clothing.

Unpowered, Lightweight Ankle Exoskeleton

TBMG-3571712/01/2019

A lightweight, low-profile, inexpensive ankle exoskeleton could be widely used among elderly people, those with impaired lower-leg muscle strength, and workers whose jobs require substantial walking or running.

Heat-Regulating Material for Next-Generation Space Blanket

TBMG-3572012/01/2019

Drawing design inspiration from the skin of squid, researchers developed an adaptive space blanket that gives users the ability to control their temperature. The drawback to current Mylar heat-regulating blankets is static. The new material has changeable properties to regulate how much heat is trapped or released.

Pearl-Like Coating Enhances Lightweight Armor

TBMG-3545311/01/2019

By mimicking the outer coating of pearls (nacre or mother of pearl), researchers created a lightweight plastic that is 14 times stronger and eight times lighter (less dense) than steel. It could be applicable to vests, helmets, and other types of body armor as well as protective armor for ships, helicopters, and other vehicles.

CONTI SUITS UP

19AUTP10_0110/01/2019

A team of young innovators aims to transform a critical piece of safety equipment - and create new business - through collaboration. Few colors shock the human brain into attention more than high-visibility Yellow. “Hi-viz” as it's known in the safety-apparel industry, is an on-the-job requirement for first responders, road workers, tow-truck drivers, linesmen, loggers, couriers, coast guard deck crews - any all-weather vocation for which being seen in low-visibility situations can make the difference between life and death. Included are overnight package-delivery drivers who must sprint across busy city streets - at night, in the fog and rain - to deliver the goods. But hi-viz, even when combined with reflective fabrics, is often not sufficient for wearers to be seen.

Brooke, Lindsay

Sound Attenuation of Neoprene Wetsuit Hoods as a Function of Dive Depth and Acoustic Frequency: Hyperbaric Chamber Trials

19AERP05_1005/01/2019

Data gathered during testing will help develop strategies to protect Navy divers from loud underwater sounds. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, Groton, Connecticut The U.S. Navy is interested in strategies that divers could employ to protect them from loud underwater sounds. Sonar transmissions and other forms of underwater sound, such as that produced by noisy underwater tools, are an occupational hazard for U.S. Navy divers. At the time this research was conducted, the U.S. Navy guidance for diver exposure to underwater sound accounted for the diver wearing a wetsuit hood but did not account for any changes in the hood's sound attenuation properties with dive depth. Characterizing how the hood's attenuation properties change with depth and frequency is critical to creating appropriate guidance for diver's exposure to underwater sound.

5 Ws of Foldable Mechanical Devices

TBMG-3440205/01/2019

Manufacturers across medical, space, aviation, military, and automotive industries could use the technology to build complex machines that integrate with surfaces to be very compact, but can deploy to do complex tasks.

Sound Attenuation of Neoprene Wetsuit Hoods as a Function of Dive Depth and Acoustic Frequency: Hyperbaric Chamber Trials

TBMG-3433705/01/2019

The U.S. Navy is interested in strategies that divers could employ to protect them from loud underwater sounds. Sonar transmissions and other forms of underwater sound, such as that produced by noisy underwater tools, are an occupational hazard for U.S. Navy divers.

Optically Transparent Polyimide Aerogels

TBMG-3359301/01/2019

Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have expanded their growing portfolio of aerogels to include a new optically transparent polyimide aerogel. Aerogels — low-density, highly porous, ultralight materials derived from gels — can be fabricated to achieve specific desirable traits including various ranges of optical transparency. In the past, high optical clarity was most commonly produced in silica aerogels, which shed dust particles and are notoriously fragile and brittle. In contrast, polyimide aerogels possess remarkable strength and flexibility. They are often used in aerospace applications due to their ability to retain their physical and mechanical properties in thermally and chemically demanding environments.

Aerogel Insulation Makes Thinner, Warmer Outerwear

TBMG-3320611/01/2018

Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.

Energy-Storing Material Folds Onto Itself

TBMG-3322211/01/2018

Eagles can store energy in their feet without having to continuously contract their muscles to then jump high or hold on to prey. New materials have been created that can store energy this way. The materials, called auxetics, behave quite differently from regular materials. Instead of bulging out when squeezed, they collapse in all directions, storing the energy inside.

Artificial “Blubber” Protects Divers in Frigid Water

TBMG-3248208/01/2018

When Navy SEALs carry out dives in Arctic waters, or when rescue teams are diving under ice-covered rivers or ponds, the survival time even in the best wetsuits is very limited — as little as tens of minutes. Researchers have discovered a process to triple that survival time.

3D-Printed Device Produces Nanofiber Meshes

TBMG-2969907/01/2018

Nanofibers are useful for any application that benefits from a high ratio of surface area to volume, such as solar cells that maximize exposure to sunlight, or fuel cell electrodes that catalyze reactions at their surfaces. Nanofibers can also yield materials that are permeable only at very small scales, such as water filters, or that are remarkably tough for their weight, such as body armor. Most such applications depend on fibers with regular diameters. But their commercialization has been hampered by inefficient manufacturing techniques.

Brainwave-Controlled Exoskeleton Restores Functional Grasp

TBMG-2852403/01/2018

École Polytechnique Fédéral de LausanneLausanne, Switzerland

Multi-Functional Yarns and Fabrics with Anti-Microbial, Anti-Static, and Anti-Odor Characteristics

TBMG-2801212/01/2017

Prior art fabrics used to manufacture military combat uniforms typically are made from yarns comprised of a blend of cotton and nylon fibers. This blend supports dyeing and printing techniques that use a combination of acid and vat dyes to impart a camouflage pattern. The yarns made from the blend are combined with lightweight, thin fabric construction to produce fabrics that provide comfort, durability, and UV resistance. Other fabrics, such as flame-retardant fabrics, are made from blends of Nomex® synthetic fiber meta-aramid fiber, Kevlar® synthetic fiber para-aramid fiber, and P140 electrostatic-dissipative fiber, and also provide a level of visual and near-infrared camouflage protection; however, they do not provide anti-odor, anti-micro-bial, or electrostatic dissipation performance in a single, complete fabric. Other prior art techniques involve treating uniform fabrics with antimicrobial treatments, but some of these are not durable and wear out after repeated laundering.

Wireless Tamper Detection Sensor and Sensing System

TBMG-2728708/01/2017

NASA's Langley Research Center researchers have developed a wireless, connection-free inductor capacitor sensor system that can be placed on or embedded in materials and structures to monitor for and detect damage. The sensors can also be used to detect package tampering and pilfering. This innovation — SansEC (Sans Electrical Connections) — makes sensors more damage-resilient and more environmentally friendly to manufacture and use.

Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes

TBMG-2705306/01/2017

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary mechanical and unique electronic properties. CNTs are being studied for applications in high-strength/low-weight composites and other applications. In order to alter the CNT properties for particular applications, chemical functionalization may be necessary. Development of multifunctional composite materials may require functionalization of a collection of CNTs to allow the tubes to be dispersed more easily in a host matrix.

Portable Nanofiber Device Offers Precise Control for Fabricating 3D Tissue

TBMG-2688705/01/2017

There are many ways to make nanofibers. These versatile materials — whose target applications include everything from tissue engineering to bulletproof vests — have been made using centrifugal force, capillary force, electric field, stretching, blowing, melting, and evaporation.

Wireless Tamper Detection Sensor and Sensing System

TBMG-2648803/01/2017

NASA's Langley Research Center researchers have developed a wireless, connection-free inductor capacitor sensor system that can be placed on or embedded in materials and structures to monitor for and detect damage. The sensors can also be used to detect package tampering and pilfering. This innovation — SansEC (Sans Electrical Connections) — makes sensors more damage resilient and more environmentally friendly to manufacture and use.

Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked Structure

TBMG-2517008/01/2016

NASA-developed polyimide aerogels are 500 times stronger than conventional silica aerogels. The innovative aerogels represent a revolutionary advance over fragile silica aerogels because they are highly flexible and foldable in thin film form. As a thin film, they can be used to insulate industrial pipelines, automotive shields, and temporary housing structures, and can be used within protective clothing such as firefighting jackets, space suits, and parkas. As a thicker part, they can be easily molded to a shape, or sanded and machined to provide insulation as well as mechanical support. No other aerogel possesses the compressive and tensile strength of the NASA innovation while still retaining its ability to be flexibly folded to contour to whatever shape is needed.

Using Black Polyimide/Kevlar as a Metering Structure Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI)

TBMG-23212

11/01/2015

Metering structures of remote sensing instruments often have large openings or access holes. Shear panels that are X-shaped, such as those proposed for the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), generally consist of C-channels and L-brackets to minimize structural distortion. This type of metering structure has large openings on the sides. Structural panels that have large access holes, such as those studied for the Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI), generally consist of aluminum honeycomb panels with composite facesheets. Both types of metering structure require multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets to shield the internal components such as optics from sunlight and Earth albedo, and to minimize heat loss to 3K space by radiation. The issues of conventional MLI blankets for these metering structures include MLI sagging, stray light, and risk of micrometeoroid damage to optics.

Robotic Exoskeleton (EXO)

TBMG-2323411/01/2015

The Exoskeleton (EXO) is a device that falls into a new classification of robotics called wearable robots. On-orbit applications include countermeasures and dynamometry, allowing for continual assessment of a person’s muscle strength while aboard the International Space Station. Due to its small, compact size and relatively light weight [57 lb (≈26 kg) without batteries], EXO holds great promise as a countermeasure device for missions below low-Earth orbit.

Products of Tomorrow: October 2015

TBMG-2309310/01/2015

The technologies NASA develops don’t just blast off into space. They also improve our lives here on Earth. Life-saving search-and-rescue tools, implantable medical devices, advances in commercial aircraft safety, increased accuracy in weather forecasting, and the miniature cameras in our cellphones are just some of the examples of NASA-developed technology used in products today.

Nanocomposites for Radiation Shielding

TBMG-22543

08/01/2015

Currently, lead and lead-based materials are used to fabricate shields not only for X-rays, but also for other types of radiation. With the growing environmental concern about the toxicity of lead, and the high costs associated with transporting heavy lead-based shields in spacecraft, alternatives are needed for fabricating X-ray shields that are less toxic and lighter.