An overgarment designed and embodied to protect civil forces from Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear (CBRN) environments without compromising their safety while wearing it. This project was carried out by a team of six design students for the company TNO, the largest research organisation of the Netherlands, during my first semester at TU Delft.

DESIGN PROCESS

Briefing

The objective was to design and validate an adaptable protective suit for defence operating under CBRN environments. Under this situation, heat stress implies a burden that affects wearer's security. 

Our mission consisted on developing a suit capable of securing its impermeability for 30 minutes, the standardised time that civil forces need to abandon a compromised area.

- original design brief

USER

VISION

Several ideation sessions with potential users, TNO and the Dutch Ministry of Defence concluded into an overgarment capable of maintaining a stable body temperature by means of a ventilator housed in the chest and a series of ergonomically placed pathways that transport the air through all the critical areas of the body. 

DESIGN FOR EMPOWERMENT

The interviews conducted with soldiers and firefighters showed that the experience of use of current garments is very negative. Furthermore, it also demonstrated that professionals actually care about what they wear.

A literature research supported by the insights of the previous interviews, concluded on the importance of designing a suit that would empower the user and make him of her feel encouraged. Stronger.

IDEATION & VALIDATION

The team envisioned an encouraging suit that will empower the user under any stressful situation. In total, 10 different suits and 5 ventilator cases were tested along with 50 professionals. This resulted into an innovative suit, inspired by the avatars of video games and science fiction films.

The design of the ventilator was critical for the project, since it had to ensure a sufficient air intake to keep the user's inner temperature stable while allowing a fast and tight closure.

The ventilator is made of more than 10 different elements, including a state-of-the-art filter capable of absorbing up to 99% of the toxic agents the user may encounter during any mission. In addition, its design also allows turning it on and off in less than 2.5 seconds with only one hand.

THE HYBRBOTEC

The team prototyped and validated a jacket based on the design of the suit. The results confirmed the HybrOtec improves the efficiency of current uniforms above 800%. TNO as well as the Ministry of Defence are currently exploring new overgarments and suits based on our original design.