UBC researchers are embarking on a three-year collaboration with partners across western Canada to develop new wearable technologies to help keep Canadian soldiers safer and more comfortable during their missions.
UBC Okanagan Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Kevin Golovin has assembled a team of the nation’s most esteemed scientific researchers and industry leaders to create and test new textile technologies and body armour solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces.
The network — called Comfort-Optimized Materials for Operational Resilience, Thermal-transport and Survivability, or COMFORTS — involves 11 researchers from the University of British Columbia, two lead collaborators at the University of Alberta and the University of Victoria, and numerous industry leaders in the defence and security sector, including Kelowna-based PRE Labs, Helios Global Technologies, and EPIC Ventures in Victoria. The collaborative research project is representative of UBC’s endeavours to deepen the relevance and public impact of the university’s research and education (Strategy 16: Public Relevance).
The Canadian government has invested $1.5-million in the COMFORTS network; additional funding from UBC, MITACS and industry partners brings the value of the COMFORTS network to over $2-million.
Learn how UBC Okanagan researchers are developing next-generation fabrics to help improve survivability in the field for Canadian soldiers.