Versatile, Expandable, Strategic, and Tactical Equipment Carrier

To meet SOCOM needs, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Versatile, Expandable, Strategic and Tactical Equipment Carrier (VESTEC) technology to be integrated into the MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment). The VESTEC will make the MOLLE more dynamic and lightweight, and enhance its capability. The VESTEC will be based on modular wearable connectors, adaptable smart pouches, Wired Integrated Texile Seam (WITS) internal communication links, sensor interface, and the Tactile Early-warning Sixth Sense (TESS) subsystem. The VESTEC system will integrate a power source, body sensors, and WITS cables for communications through imbedded fibers that will follow natural fabric contours and seams of the vest. The cabling and associated electronics within the WITS will form a "vest area network" (VAN) for the VESTEC. In Phase I, POC will develop, fabricate, and test a VESTEC model to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. In Phase II an optimized and rugged engineering prototype will be built that will be tested under laboratory test conditions.