(June 15, 2015) Researchers
in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have
developed a groundbreaking new energy-absorbing structure to better withstand
blunt and ballistic impact. The technology, called negative stiffness (NS)
honeycombs, can be integrated into car bumpers, military and athletic helmets
and other protective hardware.
The technology could have major implications for the design
and production of future vehicles and military gear to improve safety.
The new NS honeycomb structures are able to provide repeated
protection from multiple impacts, offering more durability than existing
honeycomb technology found in a range of products from automobiles to aircraft.
The UT Austin team’s research on the innovative structure was published online
in Integrated Materials and Manufacturing Innovation in May.