Sports technology Sparks tactical innovation.

• Author: Parsons, Dan
• Position: Inside Science + Technology

* The challenge of protecting combatants while maintaining comfort and preserving mobility is as old as warfare itself Knights in the Middle Ages learned the hard way that metal armor has diminishing returns, just as ancient Persian warriors found that light wicker shields offered little resistance to bronze swords.

Modern U.S. troops have battled the same issue under different circumstances--how to protect themselves from small arms fire and improvised explosive devices without impairing their ability to move around the battlefield.

New materials that harness state-of-the-art chemistry could alleviate much of the problem. Before they benefit soldiers in combat, many of those breakthroughs have their genesis as sporting goods protecting athletes and adventurers from bumps and bruises.

D30, a British impact-protection engineering company, has developed a material that has revolutionized gear worn by athletes. The company gained recognition during the 2006 Winter Olympics for lightweight, flexible and breathable protective materials worn by the U.S. and Canadian ski teams. It has even been used in ballet shoes.

The 30-person company's success since its founding in 2006 is a prime example of how a single technological innovation can inspire a variety of applications, creating a domino effect of advancement in multiple industries. It is also another example of how the commercial market is providing useful, affordable innovations for the military.

In motorsports and professional football, as in the military, "the trend we are seeing is that if it's not comfy, people won't wear it," Louise Wilson, a D30 spokeswoman, told National Defense. "Hard, bulky body armor has been used in sports and the military for years, but it hinders the wearer's performance. With something lightweight and flexible, you can run faster [and] move with more agility without compromising on safety."

The Marine Corps has come under withering fire from critics who argue ballistic body armor requirements have resulted in bulky protective gear that fatigues soldiers and limits mobility. For a Marine, whose job is to storm ashore swiftly to defeat the enemy, that can cause problems.

George Solhan, the Office of Naval Research's deputy chief researcher for expeditionary maneuver warfare, ripped the Marine Corps' ballistic requirements for armor at the National Defense Industrial Association's Expeditionary Warfare Conference last year.

The service requires that its body armor...