2 creatures inspiring next-gen 3D printed body armor

Animals around us have been a source of inspiration in our books, films, other media for centuries. This trend continues today, showing no signs of stopping. Now, cutting edge technology is being used in conjunction with 3D printing and other additive technology to create new forms of 3D printed body armor based on some of Mother Nature’s sturdiest creations. This is very exciting for what this means for the future of body armor and protection.

Alligator Gar Fish

As recently showcased by McGill University, the gar fish’s incredibly hard-to-penetrate skin makes it a prime candidate for 3D-print replication. This is because the skin of the gar fish is rare in that the scales overlap, acting as biological shock absorbers. This increases strength whilst maintaining flexibility.

By recreating these patterns of scales to create artificial gar materials, it is hoped that gloves (and eventually full body armor) could be made. These could provide a higher level of protection than is currently available. These gloves would then be used in the waste recycling, engineering or military sectors. Preliminary testing is already being carried out by a company called Superior Gloves with initial reports looking promising.