Bulletproof chainmail? Next-gen fabric stiffens on demand

Materials that change their properties in response to certain stimuli could come to occupy a valuable space in many fields, ranging from robotics, to medical care, to advanced aircraft. A new example of this type of shape-shifting technology is modeled on ancient chain mail armor, enabling it to swiftly switch from flexible to stiff thanks to carefully arranged interlocking particles.

Chain Mail-Inspired Fabric Supports 50 Times Its Own Weight

A chain mail fabric that can stiffen on demand

Teknosage Systems

Scientists Develop Chain Mail Fabric That Can Stiffen on Demand

Bulletproof vest - Wikipedia

3D Printed Chain Mail Smart Fabric Stiffens On-Demand - SlashGear

The smart chain mail fabric that can stiffen on demand

Why would anyone in the medieval era ever waste so much money on expensive full plate armor when they can simply be shot by a crossbow through that armor? - Quora

Chain-mail fabric stiffens under confining pressure

Armor