South West Research Institute, in effort to further reduce the weight of body armor decided to adapt the reactive armor technology developed for tanks and the design was patented in 2002.
The Reactive Stiffening Armor System is “a reactive armor system that is effective against armor piercing projectiles and lightweight enough to be worn by humans”. It works by delaying the penetrator from fracturing the ceramic plate in the armor. SWRI calculated that delaying a bullet by just three microseconds is enough to increase protection (as measured by the kinetic energy of the bullet) by ten per cent.
The question is, what will it do to the wearer?
To read more visit Wired’s Danger Room.
Tags: SWRI