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High tech vest aims to make mittens obsolete
Canadian military innovation holds potential for wide range of civilian uses
By Vito Pilieci, The Ottawa CitizenFebruary 10, 2009 4:02 AM
If there is one thing Canadians know, it's frozen fingers. With winter temperatures routinely dipping below the -30 C mark, digits devoid of feeling are a regular occurrence.
That's why the Canadian military has created a vest capable of keeping a person's fingers toasty in temperatures lower than -25 C without the need for mittens or gloves.
The military designed the vest to help mechanics work on vehicles in frigid temperatures or to allow medics to treat wounded soldiers without their fingers freezing up.
"We are taking a vest and providing extra heat to the body and because your body is running at its normal temperature, it's trying to dump that extra heat out the ends," said John Frim, a defence scientist with Defence R&D Canada in Toronto.
He added that it's almost poetic for Canadians to be pioneering this new technology and suggested that there is global interest in the product.
"Canada has been recognized as a country that knows how to deal with the cold," he said.
"We would hope to see this used in a lot more places. The military would be a small customer in terms of the applicability of this thing in the general population."
The vest, technically dubbed the Torso Heating for Dexterity in the Cold (THDC) Vest, works by heating a person's torso, which tricks the body into thinking that the wearer is overheating. In a bid to cool down, the body sends warm blood out into the wearer's extremities keeping fingers and toes warm without the need for layers.
It was created by Defence Research and Development Canada, a division of the Canadian military.
The vest has a built-in temperature gauge to ensure that the wearer does not truly overheat. A ring containing another temperature gauge is worn on a user's hand to allow the vest to adjust its heat settings automatically and ensure that the wearer's fingers are kept at a comfortable temperature.
The vest is powered either by a tether, or in situations that demand more mobility, it can also be powered with a rechargeable battery.
Darren Menabny, a business development officer at Defence Research and Development Canada, said the military is now searching for a partner that can begin production of the vests.
He said the potential for the device is huge. After some information about the device leaked out on the Internet, hundreds of people came up with new uses for the technology.
While he couldn't provide an exact time frame, Mr. Menabny expects it won't be long before the vest will be offered for sale in retailers such as Canadian Tire.
"After this got out online, and you see those comments, you realize the people out there have many ideas about potential uses for it. It's a good, flexible technology," said Mr. Menabny.
While the vest could be used by paramedics, police and engineers working on public utilities, it could equally be useful for homeowners putting up Christmas lights outdoors, who would no longer have to worry about numb hands.
Assuming there is no snow, motorcycle enthusiasts could extend their riding seasons into November as the vest could protect their hands and legs from the cold. Do-it-yourself mechanics would be able to fix their own cars in February without worrying about frostbite.
According to Mr. Frim, the military has tested prototypes of the vest in a cold chamber. Military personnel have spent as long as three hours wearing the vest in temperatures up to -25 C.
During their time in the cold chamber, soldiers were asked to take apart and reassemble their rifles. The soldiers were able to do so with no noticeable effects from the cold.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
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Canadian military innovation holds potential for wide range of civilian uses
By Vito Pilieci, The Ottawa CitizenFebruary 10, 2009 4:02 AM
If there is one thing Canadians know, it's frozen fingers. With winter temperatures routinely dipping below the -30 C mark, digits devoid of feeling are a regular occurrence.
That's why the Canadian military has created a vest capable of keeping a person's fingers toasty in temperatures lower than -25 C without the need for mittens or gloves.
The military designed the vest to help mechanics work on vehicles in frigid temperatures or to allow medics to treat wounded soldiers without their fingers freezing up.
"We are taking a vest and providing extra heat to the body and because your body is running at its normal temperature, it's trying to dump that extra heat out the ends," said John Frim, a defence scientist with Defence R&D Canada in Toronto.
He added that it's almost poetic for Canadians to be pioneering this new technology and suggested that there is global interest in the product.
"Canada has been recognized as a country that knows how to deal with the cold," he said.
"We would hope to see this used in a lot more places. The military would be a small customer in terms of the applicability of this thing in the general population."
The vest, technically dubbed the Torso Heating for Dexterity in the Cold (THDC) Vest, works by heating a person's torso, which tricks the body into thinking that the wearer is overheating. In a bid to cool down, the body sends warm blood out into the wearer's extremities keeping fingers and toes warm without the need for layers.
It was created by Defence Research and Development Canada, a division of the Canadian military.
The vest has a built-in temperature gauge to ensure that the wearer does not truly overheat. A ring containing another temperature gauge is worn on a user's hand to allow the vest to adjust its heat settings automatically and ensure that the wearer's fingers are kept at a comfortable temperature.
The vest is powered either by a tether, or in situations that demand more mobility, it can also be powered with a rechargeable battery.
Darren Menabny, a business development officer at Defence Research and Development Canada, said the military is now searching for a partner that can begin production of the vests.
He said the potential for the device is huge. After some information about the device leaked out on the Internet, hundreds of people came up with new uses for the technology.
While he couldn't provide an exact time frame, Mr. Menabny expects it won't be long before the vest will be offered for sale in retailers such as Canadian Tire.
"After this got out online, and you see those comments, you realize the people out there have many ideas about potential uses for it. It's a good, flexible technology," said Mr. Menabny.
While the vest could be used by paramedics, police and engineers working on public utilities, it could equally be useful for homeowners putting up Christmas lights outdoors, who would no longer have to worry about numb hands.
Assuming there is no snow, motorcycle enthusiasts could extend their riding seasons into November as the vest could protect their hands and legs from the cold. Do-it-yourself mechanics would be able to fix their own cars in February without worrying about frostbite.
According to Mr. Frim, the military has tested prototypes of the vest in a cold chamber. Military personnel have spent as long as three hours wearing the vest in temperatures up to -25 C.
During their time in the cold chamber, soldiers were asked to take apart and reassemble their rifles. The soldiers were able to do so with no noticeable effects from the cold.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
Article Link
