Personal Protective Equipment Under Development for Soldiers

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Hazardous materials defense equipment is often uncomfortable for wearing. A more convenient helmet-mounted protective shroud against chemical-biological materials was developed by a group of U.S. Army researchers. The development was recently issued a U.S. Patent.

The Army’s M40 respirator (gas mask) often includes a protective hood or is worn with a hooded jacket, which is donned (uncomfortably) beneath the helmet and typically requires adjustment of the chin strap.

The new shroud relieves those pain points by mounting to the outside of the helmet, where it can be stowed and unfurled when needed, according to techlinkcenter.org.

This will “eliminate the donning time associated with removal and re-donning of the helmet to position a CB protective hood under the helmet,” according to the patent. 

The inventors listed in the patent include the chief of the Respiratory Protection Branch at U.S. Army’s CCDC Chemical Biological Center. The center’s research and development activities include the design and engineering of next-generation respiratory protection technologies for the Department of Defense and law enforcement officers.