OK, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. McLaren won’t be deploying an interplanetary squad of space marines to slay brain-guzzling bugs anytime soon. It does, however, have an interest in protecting its valued clients and when one of them asked the company to make some custom armour to protect their body post-surgery, it turns out McLaren was not only happy to entertain the idea, but actually do it.
Developed by McLaren Applied Technologies for a “client X”, the armour is designed to “help protect vital organs after surgery”:
The fully wearable composite shield does the job of the rib cage — protecting vital organs including the heart and the lungs, with the garment providing further protection from unexpected low energy impact.
According to McLaren, it’s designed to conform precisely to the client’s physique and is manufactured from a combination of materials, including carbon, Zylon and Dyneema fibres, as well as “highly-toughened resin”.
A “unique gel” provides additional cushioning, to “attenuate the load and protect weak ribs and the vital organs”.
Going from the information provide by McLaren, it’s clear the armour won’t be mass-produced. Heck, it might only make one piece. Still, it’s rather cool the company has the facilities and know-how to craft such a specialised item. I cannot fathom how much it cost “client X” though.