New d3o Super Foam Could Protect People from Injuries, Falls

Thursday, February 14, 2008 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: materials science, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) A bright orange foam developed by a snowboarding engineer is strong enough to protect you from being hit over the head with a shovel. In order to demonstrate the cushioning effects of d3o foam, inventor Richard Palmer regularly volunteers to let people hit him as hard as they want with a shovel, whether over the head or on the kneecap. Because he is wearing clothing coated with d3o, the shovel bounces off with no harm or pain to him.

Although d3o in its normal state is flexible and pliable like putty, it immediately tenses up when struck with any kind of force. This means that when worn over a bony part of the body like the skull, knee or ribs, it protects the body from the force of that blow.

"The faster the impact, the better the material works," Palmer said.

D3o is already available for sale in certain snowboarding, skiing and motorcycle products such as beanies, ski suits, shin pads and gloves.

"Our beanie will not give the same protection as a helmet," Palmer admits, "but for those snowboarders who choose to wear a beanie, it's a lot better than a normal beanie."

The design of d3o, according to Palmer, is based on the chemical properties of wet sand or flour. "There's a number of fluids that when you try to move them quickly, they don't like it and they stick together," he said. "The most obvious example from the kitchen is corn flour and water. D3o is like a thick liquid but when you try to move it or shock it, it turns into a solid."

The substance successfully protected US Olympic skiers from injury when they slammed into trees or fence posts at more than 60 miles per hour, and is currently being tested out in the gloves of riot police.