Adaptive Armor Actuator Mechanisms

Conventional vehicle armor has evolved considerably over the years, including homogeneous plates, composite materials, and reactive substrates.Variable orientations have also been implemented, including curved, sloped, angled, and spaced plates.A common characteristic among these conventional armor solutions is that they are static and incapable of changing in response to local threats.Adding a means by which the armor panels of a vehicle can adapt, or change under the direction of an occupant, would provide an improvement in protection capability. Many conventional actuation technologies exist that have the required performance capabilities for adaptive armor, but are limited in practical utility primarily due to their weight.As such, InnoVital Systems, Inc., in collaboration with the University of Maryland, proposes to develop an innovative adaptive armor actuation system using our patented, light weight, pneumatic artificial muscles. Building upon our extensive experience and related patent portfolio, we will perform analyses and detailed design work in Phase I of the project that will end with prototype bench-top demonstrations of an armor panel actuator.Phase II will be focused on further refinements, closed-loop control, and integration into functional hardware capable of realistic operations in a relevant environment.