A Superhero Suit for Athletes

copyright Business Week
by Marina Kamenev
published October 13, 2006

NEW YORK - d3o Lab invented a flexible foam material that hardens into a protective shell on impact. It may be the next big brand in sports.

Five years ago, snowboard-mad engineer Richard Palmer was hit with an avalanche of an idea. After one too many painful tumbles, the 39-year-old Brit reckoned there had to be a better way to avoid bruising than the restrictive, uncomfortable, and often ineffective gear available.

"I looked at protective products on the market and thought this is a load of crap," Palmer says. "I thought I could do something better."

Palmer quickly proved he's not just talk. His company, d3o Lab based in Hove, England, developed a futuristic liquid armor that hardens on impact.

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