Better testing for protective garments
24/07/2008
The Man-in-Simulant Test (MIST) laboratory, located at the state’s College of Textiles, will allow researchers to evaluate the capabilities of protective garments against non-toxic vapours that resemble chemical and biological agents. The new facility will give researchers the necessary technological facilities to provide test results and analysis faster than similar facilities. The laboratory was funded by a two-year, $2 million grant from the Department of Defense.
In the main testing chamber, researchers can test the penetration of chemical vapours through protective clothing on mannequins and human subjects. During testing, subjects can perform the same tasks as a first responder, such as climbing a ladder, crawling, or carrying a victim to safety, in an environment that can be controlled for temperature, wind speed and vapour concentration. Subjects will wear adhesive pads underneath their clothing, which will be analysed to determine vapour penetration levels through the fabric and at seams and closures of the garment.
In addition to the main test chamber, the facility includes an observation and control room, a conference room with closed-circuit video feeds for test monitoring, a data collection room and a dressing and subject preparation area.
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