Shielding Pants

Long before the Curiosity Rover was sent to Mars to search for signs of life, every single one of its components had to be tested here on Earth. So NASA created an electromagnetic shielding tent that was designed to completely block out external electromagnetic radiation during testing… like someone sending a text next door, turning the microwave, or chatting with the James Webb telescope. A specialist lab was commissioned to build an electromagnetic compatibility shielding tent to protect Curiosity during the tests, that would completely block out all external electromagnetic radiation to prevent disruption. And we’ve now used the same technology to build a highly experimental Shielding Suit.

Based in Bremen, northwest Germany, Shieldex® are the lab that creates high-tech metallised fabrics for digital forensics, the aerospace industry and medical textiles… and Mars Rovers. Applications for their materials have included protecting electronics from cyberattacks, disguising satellites from thermal imaging cameras, and making wearable biometric sensors. They also make materials that are lightweight, flexible, durable, designed to divert infrared rays, kill bacteria, and block electromagnetic radiation within defined ranges.

To understand the science behind the material we need to take a look at the electromagnetic spectrum – a phenomenon that was iteratively discovered during the 19th century through the work of scientists like Sir William Herschel, James Clerk Maxwell and Heinrich Hertz. The spectrum shows the different types of electromagnetic radiation that allow the transfer of energy and information throughout the universe. There are seven separate groups – radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays and gamma rays.

Our Shielding Jacket and Pants are our first pieces of clothing that can block electromagnetic radiation. Their silver outer shell is engineered and tested to block radio waves and microwaves in the frequency range 0.2GHz to 10GHz. For context, the most common WiFi frequencies are 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Bluetooth operates at about 2.4GHz. And operating up at 10GHz are Ku-band satellites and radar systems. The material we’ve used achieves a shielding effectiveness of 60dB against these frequencies, which is equivalent to a 99% attenuation, or reduction of the signal.

The jacket and pants both come with their own phone shielding pocket that works like a wearable Faraday cage – completely blocking access to your devices, regardless of whether they’re switched on or off. You’ll find the pants pocket on the right thigh. Physically it’s engineered just like a pillow case to totally envelope your device. Conceptually it’s more like making a pocket that’s entirely watertight… just for electromagnetic energy instead. So you shouldn’t be tracked, hacked, or even called.

As well as reflecting certain radio waves and microwaves, the material’s silver barrier will also reflect infrared radiation. Different groups in the electromagnetic spectrum are measured using different units, so while radio and microwaves are described in frequency, infrared uses wavelength and microns. The material is designed to deflect mid and long wave infrared radiation between 3.5 and 15 microns (µm) wavelength, so it can’t be seen on infrared cameras – a project we’re also working on with our Thermal Camouflage Jacket.

We’ve designed the pants to be comfortable to wear anywhere, just like regular lightweight pants. The only difference is you’ll look like you’ve just stepped off a spaceship. On the inside they’re lined with soft mesh, there’s an elasticated waistband with a bungee cord adjuster, and the cuffs can be tightened round your ankles with a snap fastener.

We’ve been working on future material science challenges since we started the company – from disease resistance and climate change, to space travel and resource scarcity. And next up is the electromagnetic spectrum. While it does a great job of helping information and energy travel throughout the universe, as we enter an era of cybersecurity breaches, geopolitical instability, the first manned missions to Mars, and cosmic radiation exposure, it’s also going to present an increased threat.

Gamma rays might have turned Bruce Banner into The Hulk, but the reality is that radiation and human beings don’t go well together. Exposure to cosmic radiation will be a real threat on board future deep space missions, and we’ll need solutions to reduce radiation sickness or the risk of cancer and degenerative diseases. So while the Shielding Jacket only blocks low-frequency waves for now, it’s our first step towards everyday clothing that is fully radiation-proof.