Abstract:

U.S. military uniforms are inadequately designed. They do not protect military personnel in combat and they are not breathable or durable when it comes to the varying climates they face in the various war zones. Around 50 interviews were conducted with U.S. military personnel and veterans, and most complained the current uniform options are neither reliable nor breathable. They also complained that pieces of battle gear which are needed for protection from combat are not designed with the range of environmental elements in mind. Also, once issued, the military personnel are responsible for replacing them, which means they wear them longer than they are meant to be worn. While redesigns have taken place over recent years, key elements of uniform use have not been considered, such as the weather conditions in current and probable future military locales around the world. Color design appears to be the most important factor in redesigning the uniform.

Thanks to advances in fabric technology, we propose that it is possible to combine the strength of protective materials with the breathability of sports fabrics to create a more protective, breathable, and durable material for combat situations around the world. Active Smart Textiles produces textiles that have both actuators and sensors; textiles such as vapor absorbing, heat evolving, thermo regulated, etc. The two major qualities of smart textiles that make them beneficial for the Marines are: they are vapor absorbing/breathable and they are thermo regulated. Since we are still in the investigative phase of the project, we do not have results at this time. However, soon we will have input from technical experts about which fabrics are compatible for production of a uniform that can provide protection and which is also both durable and breathable.

Based on information obtained through interviews done through I-Corps Sites, the team has determined that the best initial market/branch of the U.S. military is the Marines, who have not had a productive uniform upgrade since June of 2002 (Government Accountability Office).

Keywords: Combat Uniform, active smart textiles, military protective gear, durability, breathability