D3o
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- The correct title of this article is d3o. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
Developed by UK-based d3o Lab, d3o is a soft and flexible material that hardens on impact. According to the manufacturer, d3o is produced by combining a viscous fluid with a polymer (both proprietary in nature). US and Canadian skiers have it incorporated into racing suits developed by skiwear company Spyder for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. [1]
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[edit] Description
According to the d3o Lab official website, d3o is "a specially engineered material made with intelligent molecules. They flow with you as you move, but on shock, lock together to absorb the impact energy." The molecules are weakly bound and move very slowly under normal conditions, making the material very soft and flexible. However, the distress of a sudden impact causes the chemical bonds to strengthen and the moving molecules to lock together. The material becomes a hard, protective shield. This process happens in less than one thousandth of a second. The faster the impact, the more rapidly the molecules respond.
[edit] History
d3o was created by a company called d3o lab that was founded by Entrepreneur Richard Palmer. Richard trained as an engineer, and then went to the Royal College of Art to study design. After graduating Richard set up a design consultancy focused on future products and innovation. The innovation process that Richard pioneered in his consultancy was the foundation for d3o.
Richard explains 'Whilst we worked for some interesting clients such as Du Pont, Herman Miller and Levis Strauss, there was still a feeling that with total freedom to pursue our own pathway we could achieve something truly different. Out of frustration I decided at one point to stop all consultancy activities, sell my house for the finance and pursue wholeheartedly what I believed in.'
After experimenting with shear thickening fluids Richard was convinced that if he could retain the reactivity of the material that already existed, and turn it into an elastic and flexible material, he would have something truly revolutionary.
[edit] Use
As of February 2006, d3o is already being incorporated into many products. The skiwear company Spyder has created racing suits using d3o for the U.S. and Canadian Olympic skiers. Ribcap, a hat company, has created hats with the product. Globe, a skate and surf company that also makes skateboarding shoes, has started making shoes that incorporate d3o. Sells, a goalkeeping brand, collaborated with d3o lab to create goalkeeping gloves and shin pads for soccer.
