Bulletproof

Soldiers and tactical unit police officers often have a lot of heavy gear to carry, including the ballistic body armor that they're wearing. That's where the ExoM Up-Armoured Exoskeleton is intended to come in, as it's load-reducing and bulletproof.

Engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have forged a new type of ultralight armor material described as a nanofiber mat, which features a unique chemistry that enables it to outperform Kevlar and steel.

Chitin derived from shrimps, mushrooms, and other organisms may lead to new 3D-printed, multi-layered polymer coatings to protect soldiers against bullets, lasers, toxic gases, microbes, and other hazards.

Scientists at Texas A&M University have figured out a way to supercharge boron carbide armor's already impressive stopping abilities, adding a little silicon to the mix so that it can withstand bullets traveling at even higher speeds.

Although the bulletproof shields used by police officers are definitely life-savers, the things are also quite heavy and bulky. The origami-inspired Swift Shield offers an alternative, as it folds down into a lightweight package when not in use.

In exploring the properties and potential of a theoretical material, scientists at Rice University have developed a real structure with some very real stopping power, capable of stopping bullets with impressive effectiveness.

​While bullet-proof body armor does tend to be thick and heavy, that may no longer be the case if research being conducted at The City University of New York bears fruit. Scientists there have determined that two layers of stacked graphene can harden to a diamond-like consistency upon impact.

​The ancient art of origami has been inspiring engineers and designers for decades. Now a team at Brigham Young University has used the Japanese folding technique to create a bullet-proof shield that is lightweight and portable, and can stop bullets from 9mm, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum handguns.

Mercedes-Maybach has unveiled a special-protection model of its S 600 limo, with the highest level of ballistic protection for civilian vehicles. The S 600 Guard is aimed at the likes of heads of state and business leaders who may be concerned about bullets or explosives being aimed at them.

BulletSafe is becoming a bigger player in the casual bulletproof clothing market.​ In December 2014, it launched a Kickstarter for what it calls the "world's first bulletproof baseball cap." Just over a year later, it's turning its attention to a bulletproof T-shirt.

Bulletproof vests are great if you get shot, but what happens if you get shot on a boat and fall overboard or have to dive into choppy waters to escape a fire? Well, hopefully you're wearing the Flotation Armor Torso System (FATS) from BCB Marine.

You know you're having a bad day when you wish you had a bulletproof laptop bag – as in proof against actual bullets. One such example of versatile urban luggage is the Savior Multi-Threat Shield (MTS) laptop bag, which unfolds in seconds into a shield that can stop a .44 Magnum round.