New helmet liners could keep soldiers safe and cool

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Story Published: Feb 25, 2008 at 5:16 PM PST

By Meghan Kalkstein

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EUGENE - Local researchers are working to help soldiers in Iraq, who not only face the dangers of explosives. But also the dangers of over-heating in the desert.

We first told you about the new helmets last year when OSU researchers tested them on mannequins, but now University of Oregon researchers are taking the next step, by trying the helmet on real live army cadets.

It's a long way from Iraq, but this is the training ground that could save a soldiers life.

"The number of traumatic brain injuries coming out of this war is far higher than any other war we've been in," says John Halliwill, Associate Professor at the U of O.

That's why a company called Oregon Aero designed three new different liners, each with varying amounts of padding, for army helmets.

"The liner has the ability to absorb the shock of a nearby explosion," says Halliwill. But thick protective cushioning tends to cause soldiers to over heat. So the U of O researchers are testing how well each is ventilated in this temperature controlled, environmental chamber.

"Humidity for the room so it's roughly 60% relative humidity right now," shows Halliwill.

Inside the room, cadet Chad Plaisted walks for 90 minutes while hooked up to machines that test everything from his heart rate, to his oxygen levels, and even his temperature through a very special pill.

"A little pill like this is sitting inside his intestines and is broadcasting to a radio receiver what his body core temp is as he walks on that treadmill," shows Halliwill.

The testing being done inside the chamber isn't just about the effectiveness of these helmets abut also how comfortable they'll be so the soldiers will wear them longer.

"This is one of the best life saving devices we have so if we can develop tech that doesn't want to make soldiers take their helmet off then that's awesome," says Plaisted.

The next phase of this test will look at other environmental conditions like higher humidity and temperatures.

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