Scientists at the US Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Michigan are developing an intelligent armor based on piezoelectric sensors. The armor is being designed to relay real-time information of its own failure to soldiers, besides informing them of the artillery being used by the foe, by identifying the bullets shot at it, and also generating a small amount of electricity from each bullet knock. Each armor plate, which TRADEC is developing, is attached with two piezoelectric sensors. With slightest of vibration caused by a bullet strike on the armor, one sensor on the plate converts that shock wave into mechanical energy which the other sensor converts into roughly about 15 volts of electricity. When the armor is damaged in combat, it will fail to generate the said amount of electricity. Therefore, by measuring the difference in electricity generated by the damaged armor and the amount generated by a perfect armor, the soldiers can determine the actual damage to the armor.
Similarly, the striking of a bullet itself could reveal the secret of the enemy’s weaponry. Each size of bullet will help generate a specific amount of electricity – the bigger the round more the energy produced. Thus, this real-time information about the solidarity of the armor and the firepower information of the enemy would save many soldiers’ lives. And the generated electricity we know will never go waste, so all in all it is a great armor in development for both body and vehicles.
Via: MSNBC
