Research Summaries

Back NPS Concealable Body Armor

Fiscal Year 2018
Division Graduate School of Engineering & Applied Science
Department Physics
Investigator(s) Gamache, Raymond
Sponsor Rapid Reaction Technology Office (DoD)
Summary A current interest exists for an NIJ level III solution that is concealable. Here a body armor system that is not detectable by visual observation is needed for undisclosed operations. The flexible buoyant armor system with new formation capabilities could enable this requirement. Efforts would investigate the formation of the body armor system to both display representative features of a human torso region and reduce or remove any interface lines between the human torso and armor system.
In addition to the concealability this effort will investigate 3D printed mold systems to form the flexible body armor system as a low cost technique to customize the shapes of the body armor system to specific individual shapes at minimal costs.
Specific body armor systems will look at using existing lines including: collar bone, jugular notch and waist line to reduce and distinguishing features of the body armor system. In addition, studies will be performed to verify body movements and the ability of the armor system to shift with the body in a visually undetectable manner. A carrier system to hold the armor system will be designed using a spandex material with a thin tension system to hold the body armor in direct contact with the torso
Keywords Concealable body armor
Publications Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal
Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal