Safe Aviation Boot Liner for Extremes

Military operations in cold environments require warfighters to utilize protective garments, such as boots, to reduce heat loss and prevent numbness, clumsiness, frostbite, and hypothermia. Current state-of-the-art flight boots do not meet extreme cold protection requirements, due to shape and size limitations imposed by restricted foot space in and around aircraft. Powered limb heating systems can improve cold weather capabilities, but current wearable heated systems do not offer frostbite protection in extreme cold environments for a significant duration. Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG), in partnership with Clemson University’s Textile Group, is developing a Berry compliant heated boot liner for extreme cold conditions. CRG is designing this self-regulating wearbable heated system by integrating state-of-the-art safe heating materials with a multilayered boot liner composed of FR sweat wicking materials. The proposed approach enables the use of existing flight boots, maintaining compliance with size limitations. CRG is leveraging its expertise in power management systems and portable power to integrate a wearable battery and control system with the heated boot liner.