Purdue Research Park-based firm earns patent for armoring device

Published: March 17, 2011

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A Purdue Research Park-based firm has been issued a patent for its armoring device that may be used in bulletproof vests, military helmets, military vehicles, anti-blast walls and additional applications.

CAE-net Inc. received a patent for its "armoring device for protecting an object" developed by Khosrow "Nema" Nematollahi, an associate faculty member of the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Nematollahi, who has a doctorate in civil engineering, also is president of CAE-net.

"My colleagues and I received a Small Business Innovation Research grant to develop an armoring device for the Missile Defense Agency. It is lighter, thinner and stronger than armor currently being used," Nematollahi said. "This armor can be used to protect military personnel, vehicles and buildings from sniper attacks or explosions. Police officers and private security personnel may also benefit if the technology is used in helmets."

Nematollahi and his colleagues designed a technology that can slow down and destroy a bullet shot into the armoring device. The protective devices are made of ceramic material, plastic, metal and polymer fabrics.

"Before our device, almost all armoring technologies had either a single stiffener or a network of stiffeners," he said. "The stiffeners used in most armoring technology are made from metal and/or ceramic material. These stiffeners alone are not as effective as the materials used in our armoring technology because the stiffeners need to integrate with dampeners to absorb impact energy effectively."

Nematollahi said CAE-net will develop into an advanced armor research and development company and plans to do research in collaboration with Purdue's College of Engineering.

"We will conduct research on how to apply our armoring technology for military and civilian use," he said. "We also will work with the university to develop our armor simulation software."

About CAE-net Inc.

CAE-net™ is a modeling, simulation and 3D stereo visualization hardware, software and services company with a close collaborative relationship with Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis. CAE-net has also been developing advanced armoring technologies for the Department of Defense since 2005.

About Purdue Research Park

The Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country in four locations across Indiana. The parks are home to about 200 companies that employ 4,000 people and are located in West Lafayette, Merrillville, Indianapolis and New Albany.

Purdue Research Park contact: Steve Martin, 765-588-3342, sgmartin@prf.org

Source: Khosrow "Nema" Nematollahi, 317-496-2884, nema@cae-net.com