New Age Infantry Protection

I was wondering the laberinth of my brain when I started to think about the ways Infantry units are protected in the field during war. To my dismay I realised that we still use bullet proof vests, however does anyone know anything about prototypes of new ways to protect the human life in terms of 'armour' etc?

PS: I was thinking along the lines of something out of a science fiction movie. If anyone has played Half-life something like the suit Gorden Freeman wears

Com on guys! A little input please! Just give me you personal oppinion if necessary!

Heres a link to a story about the future warrior. The military has a long way to go before they develop it, but hopefully they dont give up on it.

www.military.com...



[edit on 6-1-2006 by asp821]

an non conductic cloth covert with nano fibers and nano sensors which detect incoming scrapnel and bullets and then the nanofibers are made of superconducting materials and other electronics make a elecro magnetic force ect fires upon it with help of sensors the incoming materials . even not destroying the bullets or scrapnel it might alter its path.

this system is allready in test phase for apc and tanks for rpg attacks but with help of nano sensors en nano tech they will be able to get smaller objects trace them and get them out of the way for hitting the persons this system most protect

That sounds pretty cool, but how do they get something that repells a bullet to fit into nano fibers?

a suit made with nanofibers can be super conductive and you can attach the sensors to them as so the gps and battlefield computer. all intergrated with flexible screens on the arms and antennes intergrated and solar cells to. don't know how else to fit it al togheter and let it all work . if not using nano fibers.

Liquid Armor [Nano Related]

“During normal handling, the STF is very deformable and flows like a liquid. However, once a bullet or frag hits the vest, it transitions to a rigid material, which prevents the projectile from penetrating the Soldier’s body,” said Dr. Eric Wetzel, a mechanical engineer from the Weapons and Materials Research Directorate who heads the project team.

Source
Better Source

That liquid armor sounds like some really cool technology. I was thinking of a similair idea for armor after reading about magnetic-rheological shock absorbers for cars which basically use a liquid that is about 40% iron powder so when they apply current it becomes a solid, and just how solid it becomes depends on how much current they use
I was thinking with some sensors to monitor incoming projectiles this technology could possiby be adapted for use in armor applications?

Here is the link to an article about the mag shocks

www.popularmechanics.com...