Jacket with switchable ventilation

This project focuses on development of an innovative design of chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear (CBRN) personal protective equipment (PPE). The CBRN PPE is an overgarment used in military and industry settings to preserve well-being of a wearer when in contact with hazardous threat. Since the purpose of PPE is to provide absolute protection, the overgarment is usually overbuild, with utilization of materials that are impermeable like aramids and activated carbon spheres.

Impermeability prevents the exchange of heat between the wearer and outer environment resulting in the temperature rise of the microclimate between the wearer and CBRN PPE. Consequently, the wearer can suffer from thermal discomfort and other consequences of heat strain. For instance, rise in skin and body core temperature can cause deterioration of physical and mental performance of the wearer.

The goal of the project was to create a first response overgarment which will offer a full protection against chemical and biological hazards when in closed state and when in open state heat loss and thereby thermal comfort of a wearer.

The design process included input from various parties, such as soldiers, in order to provide us with working requirements. Furthermore, the material and ergonomic aspects were kept as a pivot and a simple technology design approach was taken forward to embody functional prototype. This resulted in first response garment i.e. jacket that can provide a porosity of 10% (including pants) and can be brought to the close state, thereby securing full protection, within seconds. When full protection is not necessary the garment is switched to the open state, thereby providing thermal comfort to the user.