How does D3O technology revolutionize impact-resistant body armor?

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D3O technology is revolutionizing impact-resistant body armor by utilizing a unique non-Newtonian material that hardens upon impact, enhancing protection while minimizing injury. This substance can be molded easily and, when combined with Kevlar, increases the armor's rigidity to effectively absorb and distribute the force of impacts, reducing bruising and trauma to the wearer. Comparisons are made to other technologies, such as magnetorheological liquid armor, which also responds to impacts but relies on electric current to become rigid. D3O has been successfully integrated into sports and protective gear, showcasing its practical applications. The ongoing development of both D3O and other advanced materials highlights the future of personal protection technology.
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There was a thread around here a few weeks back about futuristic armour that could distribute the energy of an impact.

I just watched an article on TV about this cool substance they're putting in sports outfits. It was called D3O.

I watched this guy take a hand-sized lump - it looks and behaves exactly like plasticine - and mold it easily into an amorphous blob. He then picked up a hammer and whammed it several times, and it hardly distorted at all!

Sci-fi eat yer heart out!
 
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[MEDIA=youtube]Grq2NzI9nNI[/MEDIA]&search=d3o[/URL]

I think you mean that. Or what is more interesting, an egg wrapped in d30 surviving to an impact...

[PLAIN][MEDIA=youtube]uuTsXpbLfRU[/MEDIA]&NR[/URL]
 
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It sounds like a mouldable version of Sorbothane. That stuff was invented by some Brit researchers over 25 years ago. They were trying to make artificial skin for transplantation to burn victims. It turned out that it wasn't biologically compatible, but displayed amazing shock-absorbtion properties. I saw a demonstration that one of their representatives performed on 'The Tonight Show' when Carson was still hosting it. He had a block of the stuff about 2 inches on a side, cut in half with a hemispherical cavity carved out of each half. He set one on Carson's desk with the cavity up, placed a raw egg in it, and covered it with the other half. As Carson watched in obvious concern for his wardrobe, the guy proceded to whap the top block with a large hammer. Nothing happened. :bugeye:
As to the body-armour, I believe that you're getting this stuff mixed up with the magnetic liquid armour currently in development. It goes rigid when an electric current is passed through it, which can be instantly triggered by a bullet impact. 'How Stuff Works' has an article on it.
 
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Clausius2 said:
[MEDIA=youtube]Grq2NzI9nNI[/MEDIA]&search=d3o[/URL]

I think you mean that. Or what is more interesting, an egg wrapped in d30 surviving to an impact...

[PLAIN][MEDIA=youtube]uuTsXpbLfRU[/MEDIA]&NR[/URL][/QUOTE]
Cool. Though the egg is no wrapped in D3O, they dropped the egg [I]on[/I] D3O.
 
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Danger said:
As to the body-armour, I believe that you're getting this stuff mixed up with the magnetic liquid armour currently in development. It goes rigid when an electric current is passed through it, which can be instantly triggered by a bullet impact. 'How Stuff Works' has an article on it.

The substance to which you refer is one form of liquid body armor (magnetorheological), d30 is the other kind. Both are being studied alongside one another but, AFAIK, only d30 has actually been used. They dip Kevlar in the stuff, and the Kevlar weeve holds the liquid in place. When struck by a bullet (or any other sharp impact), the d30 increases the rigidity of the kevlar, which both increases its ability to stop the bullet
and decreases the injury to the wearer by distributing the force over a broader area. This way, the guy wearing the vest doesn't get that bruising and occassionaly rib-breaking trauma from the vest deforming in a conical shape right where the bullet hit.
 
Thanks for the clarification, Lurch. I haven't heard of that before. While I like the idea of the magnetorheological design, I don't like the idea of getting smoked because of a defective battery. :biggrin:
 
Let me guess. It's a non-Newtonian dilatent fluid. (Geez, you really can learn something just by watching someone walk on custard :biggrin: )
 
MMMmmmm; non-Newtonian dilatent fluid! :-p