NAGPUR: For a soldier posted in Siachen or other snow
bound areas, keeping his feet warm is a privilege indeed. Since frost
bite is as hostile as the enemy in such places, Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) hopes to make life a little warmer for
the troops with its latest invention. It is a pouch which can be tucked
in the shoe to keep the foot warm even in subzero temperatures, claims
the Naval Material Research Laboratory. A unit under the DRDO, the lab
has begun the process of getting a patent for what it calls a 'flameless
portable heat solution'.
A pouch in a specialized foil coupled with water can automatically heat ready-to-eat food, taking the temperature up to 80 degrees. By adding a few more chemicals, including some day-to-day materials, the temperature can be kept within limits tolerable to the human body..
"All one has to do is tuck the pack in the shoe along with some water or
maybe a piece of ice, and the temperature goes up to 30 to 36 degrees,
which is tolerable enough in such weather," said DRDO officials
presenting it during the expo at VNIT.
"The food warming formula already has Indian, US and Japanese patents, we have just added some more materials to control the temperature. The basic ingredient to keep the temperature low is sodium silicate, apart from some more day-to-day materials, which DRDO prefers not to disclose as part of its strategy," said officials.
The food warmer can take the temperature to 80 degrees from -5 degrees, within 15 minutes. On adding sodium silicate, the temperature remains at 36 degrees for almost 4 to 5 hours. The system can also be embedded in clothes to work as a body warmer.
Talks are underway with a Delhi based company for transfer of technology for commercial production. In the meantime, the DRDO cell has cleared the case for filing a patent application. Other procedures will also be taken up soon, said the officer.
The army has also mooted certain changes, and wants the system to be embedded in the shoes itself. However, that can also be done by the private partner, who takes up the job for mass production.
"The food warming formula already has Indian, US and Japanese patents, we have just added some more materials to control the temperature. The basic ingredient to keep the temperature low is sodium silicate, apart from some more day-to-day materials, which DRDO prefers not to disclose as part of its strategy," said officials.
The food warmer can take the temperature to 80 degrees from -5 degrees, within 15 minutes. On adding sodium silicate, the temperature remains at 36 degrees for almost 4 to 5 hours. The system can also be embedded in clothes to work as a body warmer.
Talks are underway with a Delhi based company for transfer of technology for commercial production. In the meantime, the DRDO cell has cleared the case for filing a patent application. Other procedures will also be taken up soon, said the officer.
The army has also mooted certain changes, and wants the system to be embedded in the shoes itself. However, that can also be done by the private partner, who takes up the job for mass production.
0 Comments