D3O new impact absorbing technology

[skelstar]

A mate was trolling the sites and found an article about a new material that is loose and flexible but hardens instantly when it impacts against something. "That would be excellent for motorcycle armour" I thought so I have included an article below:


Researchers have developed a material comprised of intelligent molecules which flow with natural movement, but on shock, simply lock together to provide a protective barrier. This is pretty much like the way natural joints in the human body - such as knees - work when subject to shock impact.

Named D3O, the technology is now being actively marketed by a range of sports companies.

The molecules within D3O flow past each other at low rates of movement when a body is moving naturally, but when subject to an impact that requires them to move very quickly they instantaneously link with each other to form a protective barrier.

As soon as the impact has passed they immediately unlock to provide flow and normal flexibility. This all happens in less than a thousandth of a second, and the faster they are impacted the more quickly they react.

Over the past couple of years this technology - developed by UK scientists - has been introduced into materials as diverse as protective pads for horse riders and polo players, shoes for skateboarders, and specialised clothing for fencers.

Richard Palmer and Dr Phil Green have been working on its development since 2000, out of the University of Hertfordshire's research and development centre, and at a design studio in London.

The inspiration for it first came when Dr Green found himself sitting off the piste in the Alps in 1999, nursing a bruised elbow after a snowboarding accident.

"It occurred to me that all the available impact protection systems work on a macro scale, and because of this they are restrictive, uncomfortable and actually pretty ineffective," he said. "I knew if I could get a system to work at a molecular level we could have an amazing product. Five years of research later, we do."

The product is available in two versions - flex and armour.

D3O flex is constructed from three layers - an outer stretch fabric layer, the D3O impact layer and an inner textile designed to wick moisture away from the body - that combine to form the a protective system for extreme ranges of movement.

In all sports applications that involve high speed manoeuvres there is a need to allow the body to have unrestricted movement as well as providing impact protection for the vulnerable parts. With all other protective systems on the market there is a compromise between performance and flexibility, but D3O flex is said to optimise both.

In tests D3O flex outperforms conventional rigid shell protection and semi-rigid composite foam systems. Tests have been performed according to the EN1621 motorcycle protection standard.

D3O armour is constructed from four layers to include a specially-developed armour plate made from a low friction material with high abrasion resistance as a protective system for extreme levels of impact.

Im looking forward to seeing some of this stuff in motorcyle gear pretty soon.

[Motu]

I'm a bit puzzled as why fencers would need this technology - maybe a thumb protector so they don't smack their thumb hammering staples? Dunno,seems a very small market to me....

[DemonWolf]

I'd say that this is not the farm variety.. but the sword play variety =)

[bugjuice]

great, I needed a pinch of salt to go with my fries this mornin...

[ghost]

Similar to this stuff

http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/5ac8/

[Skunk]

Sounds like ideal stuff Skelstar. Flexible hard armour, wonder if you could move too fast though...

[skelstar]

Sounds like ideal stuff Skelstar. Flexible hard armour, wonder if you could move too fast though...
You havent seen me ride lately eh dude? Nothing happening in too much of a hurry...maybe I should F5 to sharpen up my skills.

[Zapf]

http://www.d3olab.com/ Ermm :)

Who wants to start making some toys? :banana:

[miSTa]

Here more info available here http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/292915/Good+Sports.htm

Does sound quite intriguing.

[Macktheknife]

I cant wait to try some of that stuff out!
Damn that could make for some dramatic changes in clothing and stuff for all sorts of uses.

[Zapf]

think about having a mesh clothing made of that.... :)

wonder how hard it gets...

[skelstar]

...wonder how hard it gets...
That ^^^ looks very funny out of context.
Apparently the demo he gives of the stuff is he puts a shirt (or something) on and slams his elbow down onto a table as hard as he can. Im assuming that it successfully protects his elbow.

[TwoSeven]

Must be some new material.

I have impact foam in my jacket I brought in the 80s. The harder its hit, the more solid it becomes. Saved me from a few scuffs over the years.

[Zapf]

Must be some new material.

I have impact foam in my jacket I brought in the 80s. The harder its hit, the more solid it becomes. Saved me from a few scuffs over the years.

trick is... impact foam is not flexable...

[N4CR]

Hhmmm... sounds like a pretty darn cool polymer I saw at uni once.

It was sloppy and looked like porridge (similar consitency and lumpyness), they could pour it out of a tray. When they stood on it they didn't sink in. They jumped on it... no splash.

Sounds like the same stuff eh! Just probably not as good as this stuff being newer and all.

[skelstar]

Ive seen a couple of photos (cant remember where) and it looks like its fully mouldable etc...one photo showed a mesh type cloth...very breathable I imagine.

I think its quite exciting the progress of stuff like this. Kinda feel that the 80s 90s were a bit slow in the race for technology, but now the dividends are paying off with Nano-tech etc maturing into products and industry (my company does Nano-tech research etc)...

[N4CR]

I think its quite exciting the progress of stuff like this. Kinda feel that the 80s 90s were a bit slow in the race for technology, but now the dividends are paying off with Nano-tech etc maturing into products and industry (my company does Nano-tech research etc)...

And people like me who have no idea about investments see nano as being a great place to invest in.. it IS the way of the future and will solve a fair amount of problems that we have in this world if all goes to plan.

[skelstar]

And people like me who have no idea about investments see nano as being a great place to invest in.. it IS the way of the future and will solve a fair amount of problems that we have in this world if all goes to plan.
If not having enough toys that go fast and produce a lot of heat (ie computers) then yeah, we have problems we want to solve. But really Im not sure we have that many problems...computers is where the REAL big money is with Nano-tech, not cancer research or anyting like that, ie the important stuff.

[Zapf]

And people like me who have no idea about investments see nano as being a great place to invest in.. it IS the way of the future and will solve a fair amount of problems that we have in this world if all goes to plan.

nano tech will also create problems too... think about little robots spying on you....

or self replicating robots fighting a war....

its all about how you use it... and in a world more hungry for money than good....u give me the answer! :blink:

[erik]

Hhmmm... sounds like a pretty darn cool polymer I saw at uni once.

It was sloppy and looked like porridge (similar consitency and lumpyness), they could pour it out of a tray. When they stood on it they didn't sink in. They jumped on it... no splash.

Sounds like the same stuff eh! Just probably not as good as this stuff being newer and all.
Sounds like cornflour and water to me.

Try it, get some cornflour, mix in water so that it's of a goopy consistency, then try tapping it with your finger, or violently shaking the container to make it splash out.
If your finger gets covered in cornflour and water, or if it flies out, then you probably need more cornflour and less water.

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~macinnis/scifun/miniexp.htm#13

[James Deuce]

Ahh nanotech.

I work with a man whose brother-in-law is researching his Doctorate in Nano-technology.

The applications for nano-technology are manifold, but the most important one being undertaken at the moment is making flexible solar panels, and in particular, roofing tiles and external building cladding. Energy is actually the biggest problem we face, because we are going to have to start generating more and more "clean" energy to replace hydrocarbon and nuclear power generators. Temperate countries could theoretically only need power stations for generating power in mid-winter or extended dark periods like major storms.

One day we may lease our power lines the same way that we do our telephone lines, and only have to pay for energy we draw in winter.

[Karma]

Oh man!! Now I can really live out my Batman dreams!!

[HenryDorsetCase]

one of the reasons I like this site interesting stuff gets talked about off topic.

there's some really good science fiction been written about nano applications: people who read those geek journals and think "what if..." then write a book about it. Its not pretending to be factual or anything but interesting takes on it:

Neal Stephenson "The Diamond Age" and "Queen City Jazz" by Kathleen Goonan are two.

This armour is macro scale, not nano scale though. But what a great idea. Id invest in that.

[Zapf]

one of the reasons I like this site interesting stuff gets talked about off topic.

there's some really good science fiction been written about nano applications: people who read those geek journals and think "what if..." then write a book about it. Its not pretending to be factual or anything but interesting takes on it:

Neal Stephenson "The Diamond Age" and "Queen City Jazz" by Kathleen Goonan are two.

This armour is macro scale, not nano scale though. But what a great idea. Id invest in that.

armor working in a nano scale, to create a macro scale effect?

[myvice]

The thought of self-replicating robots fighting wars doesn’t concern me too much, better them than us!
Nanno bots spying on me isn’t something I will lose sleep over, as we are pretty much under surveillance most of the time now anyway.
But the thought of using armour that I can bounce down the road in I quite like!

Hmmm, self-replicating Nanno bots fighting wars...
"General, a new wave of tanks is approaching from the north west! We are taking heavy losses!"
"Stay calm Captain, I'll organise an air strike on there position and we will re-group in sector 5J"
"But General, sector 5J is in-between the beer bottle and the empty pizza box!
We'll be sitting ducks!"
"Dammet man, we need to take this coffee table and that’s the only way to do it!"

[Zapf]

The thought of self-replicating robots fighting wars doesn’t concern me too much, better them than us!
Nanno bots spying on me isn’t something I will lose sleep over, as we are pretty much under surveillance most of the time now anyway.
But the thought of using armour that I can bounce down the road in I quite like!

Hmmm, self-replicating Nanno bots fighting wars...
"General, a new wave of tanks is approaching from the north west! We are taking heavy losses!"
"Stay calm Captain, I'll organise an air strike on there position and we will re-group in sector 5J"
"But General, sector 5J is in-between the beer bottle and the empty pizza box!
We'll be sitting ducks!"
"Dammet man, we need to take this coffee table and that’s the only way to do it!"

ROFL... :lol: cool shit...

really... its not much fun if they are fighting in your home. they'll convert what ever they need from what ever they can get at...

they'll resemble more like a wave of ants...:eyepoke: