DARKMATTER: THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRAUMA PROTECTION
A summary of this article first appeared in the 2023 Police & Security News Body Armor Update.
The need for trauma protection when wearing ballistic armor is widely acknowledged. While body armor is very effective at stopping a bullet, research conducted over the years has confirmed the dangers of the resulting kinetic energy transfer. Behind Armor Blunt Trauma (BABT) is a well-known term for injuries including organ damage, broken bones, and severe bruising. These are serious injuries—just ask any officer that’s taken a round while wearing armor about the effects on their ability to do their job and live their everyday life.
The critical issue with traditional trauma pads is that they were not designed to dissipate the energy of a ballistic impact, so they don’t do much to protect the wearer. DARKMATTER Energy Dispersal Pads are the next generation replacement for traditional trauma pads that address this problem directly. Our pads have been engineered, rigorously tested, and proven to reduce the energy transfer by up to 94%.
DARKMATTER Energy Dispersal Pads also significantly reduce Back Face Deformation (BFD), the amount of deformation armor exhibits when struck by a projectile. In recent independent handgun testing completed in accordance with NIJ 0101.06 standards, BFD of 39 millimeters (1.5 inches) in standalone hard armor was observed, demonstrating the significant potential for bodily harm.
The comparative data of hard armor backed with DARKMATTER pads showed a 27% reduction in BFD, while competitive products only managed to achieve a 1% to 4% reduction. The testing results of our pads proved so effective that we now offer Direct Armor Integration to ballistic plate manufacturers, where our DARKMATTER materials are bonded directly to the armor.
Our comparative test results with soft armor were even better, exhibiting a BFD reduction of 31% (in the testing media). DARKMATTER pads were also the only trauma product that maintained resiliency and effectiveness after taking multiple hits—a critical consideration.
DARKMATTER Energy Dispersal Pads provide next-generation trauma protection when it matters most, with benefits including:
- Reduce dangerous energy transfer and ballistic armor back face deformation (BFD) more effectively than any product on the market
- Maintain resiliency in multi-hit scenarios
- Lightweight, slim form factor for quick and easy integration with existing hard or soft armor systems
- Improve fitment and comfort of body-worn armor for all genders, sizes, and body types
- Gold-rated as part of the National Tactical Officers Association Member Tested & Recommended program
- Manufactured in the USA at our VOSB-certified facility
Learn more and contact us to order at darkmattersciences.com.
