Government testing ankle protector for troops inside vehicles.

PARIS -- A new lightweight blast protector may help reduce and prevent injuries to the lower legs of soldiers. The blast ankle protector, developed by NICE Technology Group in Huntsville, Ala., is made of multiple layers of Honeywell's Spectra Goldflex protective cloth and Ensolite foam. Its outer layer consists of Cordura nylon.

The 8-ounce flexible protector wraps around the leg like a brace and is fastened by Velcro. A strap that buckles around the soles of combat boots anchors the protector in place.

Tests show that the BAP can protect the lower leg against spalling that occurs inside some vehicles after some types of nearby explosions, says Ed McCallum, director for the combating terrorism technology support office within the technical support working group, which is evaluating the product.

In an initial test, a high explosive detonated in the vicinity of a steel plate that mimicked the wall of a vehicle. The ankle protector stopped or deflected all of the small debris thrown at it, with the exception of a larger piece of metal, he says.

"I consider this initial test to be successful as the leg would have had only one fragment enter, versus the significant volume of small pieces, which can make wound treatment and recovery difficult or impossible," says McCallum.

Forty percent of combat injuries occur near the lower leg region, says Michael Janay, who founded NICE Technologies and came up with the concept for the blast ankle protector.

McCallum says a slightly more robust version will be tested in the near future.

Once tests are completed, the results will be available to the services and interagency organizations to help determine whether the product will be supported as part of an improved future system, says McCallum.