thinking?

WHAT IS THIS GUY THINKING?

Complete comfort

January 9th, 2019 / By: Seshadri Ramkumar (SR)/ Feature

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A systems approach is needed to meet all the requirements of high-performance garments.

Comfort for the human body needs to be comprehensive. This complicates the technologies that are available to reach the ultimate goal of providing physiological, environmental and psychological comfort. A definition that fits technologically well to clothing is a “feeling of relief.” In light of this definition, the fiber and textile industry will need to plan carefully, given expectations, in developing the next-generation of comfort clothing structures.

I believe from the opening paragraph SR has absolutely no knowledge of the subject. Dressing properly for any given environmental condition is not complicated. When you are out in cold conditions the “feeling of relief” is something that you do not consciously think about if you are warm. Drawing from my own experience of being lost in a blizzard at 12000 feet with temperatures of -20 and lower I did not consciously think of “feeling of relief”. As for the fiber and textile industry “developing the next generation of comfort clothing structures so far is not working.

Fibrous structures are necessary to provide protection from external natural and/or manmade environmental conditions, while also focusing on physiological suitability, sensory perception and performance requirements. In order to achieve this, a “systems-of-systems” approach is required.

In this paragraph SR displays his lack of knowledge in the fact that he obviously does not know all of the materials already exist and have for many years. This fact negates the needs for a “system of systems” which I believe has no meaning. I am sure if you asked him he would be stumped to explain what he meant by the phase.

The defense concept

Among different aspects of comfort, thermal, sensory (feel) and bulk (weight) are closely related. These factors are mutually interconnected and hence need to be balanced. This approach was adopted years ago by the U.S. Dept. of Defense, resulting in the Integrated Protective Fabric System, with the goal of reducing the load for the warfighter, while providing maximum protection.

SR does not know the DoD is still trying to find a solution to the problem, however the DoD is allowing people who have no knowledge of the subject to work on the problem.

This was achieved using a “systems-of-systems,” approach, treating each required protection characteristic as a separate system, while the fabric structure will be a single comprehensive system. In the case of chemical and biological protective fabric, this could be achieved using technologies that can combat chemical and biological threats individually, while the integrated suit will have the capability to counter both chemical and biological threats.

In the case of chemical and biological garments I have no real knowledge but I do know we made thousands of these suits that we supplied to Saddam Husain when he was gassing the Iranians back in the 70’s or 80’s, se we probably have some reports on how well the suits worked.

Such an approach is needed to develop comfort clothing. While this may look complicated, multidisciplinary collaborations can lead to developing integrated comfort systems. Fiber science, manufacturing systems engineering, electrical and electronics engineering all have a role to play in its development.

Aside from the chemical suits we do have “systems” if you will that can be worn to give excellent protection in temperatures from +100 to -70 F. There is no role to include electrifying clothing, as it can become dangerous, but SR has no knowledge of these facts.

The ingredients needed

Three main ingredients need to be considered in the development of thermal or any other comfort-providing suits: fibers, fabric structure and external gadgets. With the advent of wearable technologies, use of microchips and sensors can be effectively integrated to develop lightweight, active comfort clothing.

SR here you are shooting your mouth off when you have NO KNOWLEDGE of the subject. Once again all materials exist to make thermally very efficient garments.

In terms of fibers for enhanced comfort, developments have been incremental. Chemistry advances have enabled phase change materials that respond and adapt to external ambience and environmental conditions to provide balanced comfort.

SR phase change materials do not work ever and have never worked and they have proven as much since the advent of outlast. Wake up man and start doing the research before you come off as someone knowledgeable in this field.

Major developments have occurred in finishing treatments that can alter the surface characteristics to develop improved clothing. A well-established technology is imparting variable surface properties on each side of the fabric making one side to be hydrophilic and the other side hydrophobic. This approach is useful for thermal comfort suits, as the microclimate between the fabric and the skin is an important factor that alters the thermal balance, and hence the protection.

These fabrics have been in existence for years, nothing new and all of the garments made from them do not do anything other than to aid in being chilled. SR the only microclimate is located in the void in your head.

Atmospheric plasma finishing technology is commercially viable and such burgeoning processes can be tried to develop sustainable manufacturing methods for developing next generation comfort fibrous structures.

I do not understand what he is saying here other than to think he is alluding to fiber from plants. SR obviously does not know there are marvelous synthetics that work quite well.

Apart from fibers, fabric structures play an important role. Thermal comfort depends on the transfer of moisture vapor and trapping of air and gas molecules, which necessitates bulky, but lightweight structures. Typically, nonwoven, high-loft structures are used as lining materials. Improved fibers, such as hollow fibers, sheath- and core-structured fibers, can be tried in nonwoven structures, which again will be incremental in development.

Once again SR demonstrates his lack of knowledge about what already exists. Hollow fibers have been around for 50 years. Sheath-and core-structured fibers have also been around for years and have proven when used for insulations they perform miserably as in primaloft.

New developments

Excessive heat and humidity can put first responders at risk of heat-related illness, stress and injuries. PhaseCore cooling vests from First Line Technology are designed to mitigate these risks. Photo: First Line Technology.

I do not believe that cooling vests work, only fishnet underwear works. But SR is devoid of that knowledge.

Going forward, the industrial fabric sector needs to follow the “systems of systems,” approach in designing next generation comfort clothing and should embrace multiple fields, including science, technology and engineering.

SR like I said earlier you need an education is what exists and what has demonstrated many time over the years how well these materials work.

Seshadri Ramkumar, Ph.D., is the director of the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory, Texas Tech University, and a frequent contributor to Advanced Textiles Source.

U.S. Army researches hand warming without gloves

January 9th, 2019 / By: IFAI / What's New?

IF THIS WEREN’T ACTUALLY HAPPENING I WOULD THINK IT WAS A JOKE!

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While the Personal Hand Dexterity Device is just a prototype now, the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine is continuing to work to advance the technology so it can be more portable and user-friendly for the uniforms of the future. Photo: Dr. John Castellani (USARIEM)

Scientists from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM) are developing a new device, the Personal Heating Dexterity Device (PhD2) for warming hands and fingers in cold weather without the help of gloves.

How our tax dollars are being wasted.

The problem with working in freezing temperatures is the inevitable trade-off: either warm hands or dexterous fingers, but both has been nearly impossible. For soldiers, the loss of hand function in the cold can impact performance and even a soldier’s ability to survive, according to Dr. John Castellani, the principal investigator.

I do not know where the good doctor lives but if it’s a cold area of the country I want him to test his device.

“One of the biggest issues for Soldiers operating in a cold environment is the loss of hand function and dexterity,” Castellani said. “Thick gloves can reduce Soldiers’ touch sensation and can decrease fine-motor dexterity by 50 to 75 percent. As a result, Soldiers tend to remove their gloves when they need to use their fingers. Unfortunately, this causes blood flow to decrease in the hands, impairing movement. This is a primary concern because hand function and dexterity are important for many tasks, such as loading ammunition, handling equipment and technology and treating injured Soldiers.”

How about a lightly lined leather glove to put on for the few moments to do the job and then back in the mittens. This device in extreme cold conditions is giving the soldier false hope.

Castellani, a research physiologist, added that researchers have spent the past 80 years developing technology for different parts of the body, in an effort to increase blood flow in the hands without obstructing hand movement. Researchers have successfully developed warming devices for the torso, but the technology has not been practical for operations. USARIEM researchers set out to create something small and unobtrusive for a Soldier on the move.

If the technology has not been practical for warming the body what makes him think it will be practical for warming the hands. It is a “make work project”.

“We want to see if there is a way to improve hand dexterity in a cold environment that does not involve covering the hands and fingers,” Castellani said. “In our study, we focused on warming the forearms and face.”

Castellani’s team reasoned that by increasing blood flow just above the hand, some of that warmth would travel to the fingers. The team also focused on warming the face because previous research had suggested there were nerves in the cheeks and forehead that, when they got cold, caused blood flow to decrease in the hands.

Increase the blood flow to the extremities and the warm of the blood will leave as fast as it gets to the finger tips. His reasoning is unreasonable.

USARIEM researchers developed prototypes of forearm and facial warming devices, which resembled heating pads, to test on eight research volunteers. They measured volunteers’ hand dexterity and finger strength before, during and after the cold exposure by having volunteers load ammunition into an M16 cartridge and take the Purdue Pegboard Test, which involved picking up and moving small pegs into sockets.

“We found that just heating the forearms worked,” Castellani said. “Heating the face by itself was not effective, and heating the face and forearms together was not a significant improvement. We also found that turning on the device after the fingers had cooled significantly was just as effective as keeping it on the entire time.”

So they had warm forearms.

The research team is now working with the Medical Support Systems and Evacuation Project Management Office in the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Agency, or USAMMDA, to advance the prototype of the patent-pending PhD2, making the device more portable and user-friendly for the uniforms of the future.

Once patented they will put out a solicitation to get them made so they can be used as ballast in a warehouse.

“Maintaining dexterity is so important for many occupations,” Castellani said. “When people think of cold weather, they usually concentrate on the worst-case scenarios, like hypothermia, which is life-threatening, and frostbite, which is debilitating and can cause life-long issues. But in order to have lethal Soldiers who can complete their missions, they have to be able to use their hands.”

To use this device will potentially cause the possibility of life long debilitating issues but the good doctor does not care.

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DISCLAIMER: The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the
author(s) and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Army or the Department of Defense.

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The disclaimer is a good position taken by DoD and what should also be taken is the funding going into this project. My opinion!

EXTREME COLD WEATHER SOCKS

Yesterday I noted an award for extreme cold weather socks to a company in Montana I never heard of. I called to find out about these extreme cold weather socks.

It turns out that they are not extreme cold weather socks at all but wool felted pack boot liners, $176,000.00 worth and that would be close to12000 pair at $15.00 per pair.

The only thing that is extreme is the extreme danger of getting frost bitten toes. The wool felt will suck up foot perspiration like a sponge. The company that received the contract is a non-profit that employs people like factories for the blind. So maybe they were giving them the work even though the product is no good.

The first two articles express how the military is looking to improve and here you have a throwback to a dangerous product.

The title question about what are they thinking can only be answered one way. They are not thinking!!!