Thermoelectric Cranial Cooling Collar (TEC-3)

Helmet systems for hearing and head protection are essential for the safety of maintainers, flight deck crew, and rotary-wing aircrew operating in extremely loud environments. Many of the features that make these helmets effective for noise abatement—e.g., limited venting and edge seals—also act as a thermal barrier increasing the risk of hyperthermia. In this SBIR, we focus on developing a lightweight personal cooling unit capable of delivering targeted head and neck cooling for 12+ hours without degrading helmet protection or the effectiveness of its wearer. Our proposed approach, a Thermoelectric Cranial Cooling Collar (TEC-3), integrates highly novel and proven technologies to deliver significant thermal performance—rapidly cooling >40°F below ambient—in a lightweight, low-profile, and durable system with hot-swappable rechargeable batteries for 12+ hours of continuous cooling.