TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Human Systems

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS-NSW

OBJECTIVE: To develop gloves which will provide effective thermal protection adequate to meet most NSW cold water needs while maintaining the required dexterity. As with all equipment, these gloves must be durable enough to survive and function after enduring considerable abrasion, bending, pinching, etc. While active thermal protection will be considered, the primary interest is in passive thermal protection.

DESCRIPTION: One of the more challenging thermal issues for military diving is keeping the divers hands warm during cold water missions and also maintaining the dexterity needed to manipulate equipment and devices throughout the mission. A variety of approaches ranging from passive thermal protection to active systems may have merit.

PHASE I: The contractor shall provide a detailed paper including the science of how this equipment would operate, any technical issues, the material selection, the manufacturing process, and any power supplies that may be needed. This information will be, at a minimum, detailed enough to allow determination of the feasibility of continued funding. This phase shall also include a breadboard demonstration model which will be characterized thermally and mechanically.

PHASE II: The contractor shall provide additional technical information as required, as well as providing working models in sets sized to fit 5-95 percentile male hands. These working models will undergo both unmanned characterization and manned testing either alone or in conjunction with other thermal protection equipment.

PHASE III: The contractor shall complete the transition of the technology to allow its use by NSW cold water diving. It is expected that this technology will have commercial application and would transition to Navy divers as COTS available equipment. It is anticipated that these gloves could be a critical component for thermal protection of NSW divers for the future SDV follow-on acquisition program.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This technology addresses issues that are of concern to both the sport diving and commercial diving. The areas of use include, but are not limited to, under-ice sport or science diving and commercial oil exploration and rig maintenance. Any wet weather activity requiring thermal protection and dexterity could potentially benefit from the proposed research.

REFERENCES:
1. "A Heated Glove System For Use During Special Operations Forces (SOF) Missions," Hyde D, Mints W., Biomedical Research Department, Navy Experimental Diving Unit, Panama City, FL.

2. "Manned Evaluation Of A Prototype Composite Cold Water Diving Garment Using Liquids And Superinsulation Aerogel Materials," Dr. M. L. Nuckols, et al., Navy Experiment Diving Unit, Panama City, FL.

3. "Development And Testing Of Thermal Insulation For Divers," Bardy E., et al., Center for Research and Education in Special Environments, University at Buffalo, NY.

KEYWORDS: Thermal protection; cold water diving; insulation properties; material mechanical properties; glove design; frostbite protection.

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between April 21 and May 18, 2008, you may talk directly with the Topic Author(s) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting May 19, 2008, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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