LIGHTWEIGHT, LOW-COST HYBRIDSIL SEAT CUSHIONS FOR IMPROVED SOLDIER PROTECTION, HEALTH, AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS

Through Army SBIR funding, NanoSonic has created an innovative viscoelastic HybridSil seat cushion that provides drastically improved pressure distribution and tan delta vibration dampening over currently employed MRAP seat cushions. Crucial side by side pressure distribution mapping comparing the current MRAP seat cushion with HybridSil seat cushions employing the same seat pan dimensions were completed on personnel representing the 50th and 95th male, as well as the 5th percentile female soldier to demonstrate their value proposition to the broadest Soldier population. Upon Phase I base completion, NanoSonic was able to down-select commercially scalable copolymer systems that provide game-changing soldier seat cushions that provide a previously unavailable combination of pressure distribution and vibration dampening over currently fielded seat cushions while meeting the Army’s threshold weight and cost goals of <0.50 kg and <$50. Further, rigorous ASTM mechanical analysis indicates HybridSil seat cushions are robust and maintain their support after rigorous, cyclical ASTM D 3574 fatigue testing. A Phase II SBIR transition of NanoSonic’s HybridSil seat cushion technology will provide a pivotal funding bridge toward Phase III commercialization within a broad spectrum of military and civilian vehicles.