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IBM Files Patent For Bullet-Dodging Bionic Armor

An anonymous reader writes with news that IBM has filed a patent for "Bionic body armor" that would protect a wearer from long-range gunfire by detecting the incoming bullets and administering small shocks to the appropriate muscles required for moving out of the way. Quoting the patent: "When a marksman (such as a sniper) is attempting to fire a projectile from a firearm, the marksman typically prefers to be as far away from the target as possible, thus giving him or her a head start for the escape after the firing. As an example, the longest reported sniper hit was from a distance of about 2500 meters, resulting in a time of flight of about 4 seconds for the projectile/bullet. Had the target been aware of the inbound projectile, avoiding it by simply walking away would have been possible." After detecting the projectile, the armor would calculate the trajectory and "stimulate the target to move in a predefined manner ... sufficient to avoid any contact with the approaching projectile."

15 of 379 comments (clear)

  1. Sign me up! by WiiVault · · Score: 5, Funny

    I get so much shit thrown at me at the daycare everyday I could really use this.

    1. Re:Sign me up! by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 4, Funny

      you type very well and you even spell well for someone in daycare. you must be in the advanced track.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
  2. Re:Mechanism of detection? by aliquis · · Score: 5, Funny

    Throw a handful of gravel against a group of military personel and watch the fun :D

  3. Re:Yes! But will it... by supernova_hq · · Score: 3, Funny

    AC, you are the two.

  4. Title... by Tubal-Cain · · Score: 4, Funny

    IBM Files Patent For Bullet-Dodging Bionic Armor

    Reading that title, I got a mental image of body armor sensing incoming bullets and dodging them by jumping off of the wearer.

  5. Sorry...won't work by hyades1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The sniper was Canadian, so I'm pretty sure the armour wouldn't have saved the target in the long run. The sniper was told that the guy he killed was responsible for blowing up ten skids of imported microbrewery beer. If the rifle didn't work, that sniper would have run down there with a dull, rusty spoon, cut the guy's balls off and beaten him to death with them.

    It's the Canadian Way.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  6. Re:brilliant! by flewp · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wasn't aware that electromagnetic radiation traveled at the speed of sound.

    --
    WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
  7. Re:Stimulate to move... by Z00L00K · · Score: 5, Funny

    New goal for terrorists - trigger the response in the armor making the wearer look weird and become exhausted.

    --
    If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
  8. Who would have thought... by Lavene · · Score: 3, Funny

    Shampoo is working for IBM!!

  9. Re:And how's it deal with multiple shooters? by Fumus · · Score: 4, Funny

    How about a chair?
    Will it allow the wearer to avoid being hit by a flying chair?

    If yes, then IBM might actually be able to sell it to a few people.

  10. Snatch by Xiroth · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Boris the Blade? As in Boris the Bullet-Dodger?"
    "Why do they call him the Bullet-Dodger?"
    "'Cause he dodges bullets, Avi."

  11. So what are they saying? by rantingkitten · · Score: 3, Funny

    That I can dodge bullets? Or that when I'm ready, I won't have to?

    --
    mirrorshades radio -- darkwave, industrial, futurepop, ebm.
  12. Re:Stimulate to move... by farmerpoe · · Score: 5, Funny

    jump to the left ... ooops!

    and then a step to the right!

  13. Re:Mechanism of detection? by zer0that · · Score: 3, Funny

    Then we can name it something impressive like shrapnel.

  14. Re:Stimulate to move... by eonlabs · · Score: 3, Funny

    I can see the headlines now:
    IBM sued when bodyarmor snaps wearer's spine.
    Bodyarmor electrocutes soldier in field
    New body armor provides new technique for weightloss
    Can't touch this, hammer time

    --
    I wouldn't consider the mad hatter mad. Just reality impaired. He sure can make a mean cup of tea.