Can UVA Students Save the Military?

A sophomore at the University of Virginia who has fought in Iraq, as well as a few of his classmates, have designed a stronger, more comfortable body armor that they think should be used by American soldiers on the battle field.

Their work provides insights into the increasing popularity of biomedical engineering.  According to a report in a Charlottesville news site, “the group has tested their design, a configuration of ceramic layers, and found it can withstand as many as 10 rounds of bullets — better than solid steel.” The students are in the process of patenting their design, not only for body armor but for vehicle armor as well. In March, representatives from the U.S. Army will come to get a better look at how the armor fares in another ballistics test, according to the report.