d3o: Shock-Absorbing Material for Different Application (Link)

d3o's Ribcap

Engineered by a British company of the same name, d3o is an elastic polymer that tenses in response to quick movements.

"It doesn't protect you as much as a hard helmet," cautions Swiss entrepreneur Jurg Ramseier, who released the first Ribcap last November. "It's for people who don't like to wear helmets."

Ribcap's Hendrix model is expected to hit U.S. stores in October. Eventually you'll see d3o in everything from skateboarding shoes to bulletproof vests.

How it works? Elastic polymer pads inside the Ribcap create a soft shell. Smack your head, and the shock causes the molecules inside the padding to tightly bond, forming a structure that resembles a chain-link fence. This stiffening helps absorb and redistribute the force of the impact.

d3o company doesn't make finished products, but sells the material to sport-gear manufacturers like Ribcap, Globe Shoes, and a company called Spyder, which used it in the ski suits worn by the U.S. Olympic team in Torino.

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