Title:
The Comfort-Optimized Materials for Operational Resilience, Thermal-transport, and Survivability (COMFORTS) Micro-net
Agreement Number:
CFPMN1-026
Agreement Value:
$1,500,000.00
Agreement Date:
Aug 15, 2019 - Aug 14, 2022
Description:
The project aims to increase dismounted soldier protection from both kinetic and non-kinetic threats in complex urban environments, while simultaneously decreasing overall soldier discomfort. Investigate innovations in thermal regulation, moisture management, all-weather protection, flexible and breathable armour gel, and how each of these innovations interact with one another and with overall soldier comfort.
Organization:
National Defence
Expected Results:
Eight interrelated, comfort-enabling personal protection technologies will advance from SLR 2-5 to SRL 6+. The key outcome will be the development of personal protection technologies that exhibit low adoption barriers, and provide a platform where future innovations can consider the incorporation of dismounted soldier comfort.
Location:
Kelowna, British Columbia, CA V6T 1Z3
Reference Number:
2019-Q2-00027
Agreement Type:
Contribution
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
108161779RR001
Additional Information:
The Micro-net is composed of three (3) Principal Investigators (two (2) from University of British Columbia and one (1) from Lululemon Athletica), ten (10) Co-Investigators (seven (7) from University of British Columbia, one (1) from Apparel Innovation Centre, one (1) from University of Alberta, one (1) from University of Victoria) and 11 Collaborators from the Canadian academic and private sectors.
Other funding: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada @ $150,000; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada @ 50,000; University of British Columbia @ $130,000; Lululemon Athletica @ $200,000 for a Grand Total of $2,030,000.
Recipient's Operating Name:
n/a
Recipient's Legal Name:
The University of British Columbia
Research Organization:
n/a
Federal Riding Number:
n/a
Program:
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security
Program Purpose:
To encourage the creation of new as well as support and sustain existing science and technology networks external to DND that can generate new ideas and formulate solutions to Canada's current and future defence and security requirements
Coverage:
This project will (i) Develop existing technologies and generate new technologies, producing high value improvements to previously patented inventions related to personal protection materials, in particular lightweight, flexible comfortable armour systems; (ii) improve the safety of Canadian workers in hazardous environments with industrial spin-offs beyond defence applications in sectors including mining and forestry; (iii) advance, research and develop materials that have the potential to be incorporated into new armour systems that are lighter, flexible and breathable, with comfort-enabling auxiliary technologies to surmount current discomfort experienced by the dismounted soldier; (iv) protect the soldier from non-kinetic threats via CBRNE protection; (v) provide all-weather protection, including from thermal extremes; (vi) strengthen the related fields of study and offer very strong potential for economic benefits, including creation of new jobs in existing firms and upskilling of existing employees adding value to firms using new materials; (vii) train over 20 highly-skilled personnel as experts in textile modification, chemistry, rheology, nanomaterials synthesis, kinesiology, thermal comfort, sensor design and ballistic testing; and (viii) publications will be generated and findings presented at national and international conferences, and reports will be generated for relevant industry partners.