Licensing Opportunity: Lower Limb Anti-Personnel Mine (APM) protection
Published 19 October 2019
© Crown copyright 2019
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/easy-access-ip-lower-limb-anti-personnel-mine-apm-protection/licensing-opportunity-lower-limb-anti-personnel-mine-apm-protection
Lower limb injuries from either purpose-designed anti-personnel mines (APM) or improvised explosive devices (IED) are not always fatal but invariably life-altering.
Whilst complete protection is impractical when balanced against mobility, scaling protection back to the point where it can de-couple the worst of the pressure wave and high-energy fragments is feasible.
This technology uses a shaped metal ‘cup’ that covers the foot from heel to mid-sole. It can be sized to fit either over the shoe or as an insert and has been shown in blast trials to de-couple sufficient load to preserve the lower leg from traumatic amputation.
Key benefits
Capable of preventing loss of lower limbs in anti-personnel mine incidents. The invention provides sufficient potection to prevent significant lowe-limb injury from APM whilst being integrated so as not to impede the user.
Applications
Potential applications in both the military and civilian sectors.
The civilian need is far larger in areas of the world affected by legacy munitions.
Intellectual property (IP) status
GB patent application.
Commercial opportunity
An opportunity for a manufacturer or designer, possibly with expertise in footwear, to develop, design and manufacture a potentially low cost item of humanitarian benefit.
How to license this technology
Find out how to access Dstl-owned intellectual property available under the Easy Access IP scheme.
For more information contact dstleasyip@dstl.gov.uk