Shear Thickening Fluids (STFs) may be “liquid” in a strict sense – but they’re used in fabrics. Developed by Professor Norman Wagner and his research team, including students, of the University of Delaware, as a joint project between the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials and the United States Army Research Lab. They’re amazing – and are already in use. (Professor Wagner seems a bit shy, but very proud of his students. The website for his research group is filled with photos of his colleagues, graduate students and undergraduates – but what should be his personal page on the University of Delaware site is a dead link). STFs are added to Kevlar, making ballistic armor more effective;

D30 Labs has been making STF’s available to the civilian market. The Swiss Company RibCap has been making what look like normal knit caps – soft until subjected to a sudden force – at which time they behave like crash helmets:

At the moment not, apparently, available in the United States – but they’re available via some Canadian and British stores .Ribcap’s Swiss site here; their Canadian affiliate, DirtSurfer, also has a list of U.S. retailers.

We’d like to know more – and see test data – but if effective, these soft hats should be in every go-bag – and worn by every emergency responder who’s not already wearing protective headgear.

Via Wired (body armor) and CoolTools (RibCap).