Ploughshare Innovations Ltd.
Unit 2, Nine Mile Water Business Park, Nether Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20 8DR United Kingdom
T: +44 (0) 1794 301602
© Ploughshare Innovations Ltd 2013
Supporting technology for the defence and homeland security markets
Defence and Security
Dstl’s primary role is to ensure the MOD’s capabilities in science and technology support its current and future objectives. Ploughshare has been able to widen the benefit further to other defence and homeland security markets.
Sensor and detection equipment continues to be one area in particular where Ploughshare offers a wealth of supporting technology.
Featured Technology
DNA Trace Recovery
Analysing trace and touch DNA to identify individuals from items found at a crime scene is technically challenging, slow and intensive. This new method dramatically improves the speed and reduces the logistical burden of DNA analysis on handled objects, and allows results to be rapidly generated from touch DNA samples.
An Explosive Projectile Fuse
Shock-Tube Delay technology has been developed to provide a simple, safe and low-cost time delay fuse for explosive projectiles used to destroy buried mines at short range.
Audio Visual Acoustic Detection
The Dstl Integrated Audio-Visual Acoustic Detection has been developed to assist sonar operators by automatically analysing auditory information and presenting it as visual markers, simplifying complex sound detection and identification.
Battlefied Data (HODA)
The MoD/Dstl have a wealth of operational and historical battlefield analysis and data gathered from every encounter over many decades. This data, now available under licence, has the potential to enhance the credibility and therefore the experience for war gamers and present a significant market advantage.
Blunt Impact Head Injury Model (BIHIM)
The BIHIM is a physical tool for assessing skull fracture risk during blunt impacts e.g. when a helmet deforms against the head under dynamic loading; a process referred to as Behind Armour Blunt Trauma (BABT) can occur. The BIHIM provides a single versatile platform for assessing fracture risks at multiple regions of the skull enabling the BABT risk of the whole surface of the helmet covering the head to be tested.
Carbon Impregnated Pyrotechnic Material
Flare countermeasures capable of creating a non-visible (to the naked eye) infrared (IR) area source with the intention of confusing a missile launcher equipped with an IR targeting system.For more details: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Corona Discharge Ionisation
A corona discharge ionisation source is disclosed in which neutral species are removed by directing a flow of oxygen containing gas in a direction substantially different to that of the ion flow. The ion profiles produced are similar in many respects to those produced by a 63Ni source, an alternative, non-radioactive, ion source is offered. For more details: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Cyclone Bio-threat Detection
Airborne biological threats pose a real and serious concern for both Departments of Defence and the Homeland Security markets. Threats range from anthrax spores to biological toxins. Current methods to detect their presence are all liquid based (e.g. PCR, immunoassays). Potential threat agents need to be efficiently extracted from the airborne state for onward liquid-based analysis, a potential threat detected by a “trigger” can then be assessed.
Disposable Aiming Marker
The Disposable Weapon Aiming Marker has been developed to provide improved aiming accuracy for water cannon type disruptor weapons used for disarming improvised explosive devices (IED) in order to render the IED inoperable.
Disposable Weapon Stand
The Disposable Weapon Stand provides a portable stand that can hold a shaped charge in position to enable it to be discharged into an improvised explosive device (IED) to render the IED inoperable.
Enhanced Under Body Armour Combat Shirt - UBACS+
Combat injuries to the upper extremities continue to pose a significant challenge on the battlefield, being areas that are difficult to protect without hindering the soldier. The Dstl UBACS+ provides protection of the neck and forearm against fragmentation injury in a fully integrated design created to perform with the body armour system.
Fire Detection Method
When materials, such as electrical components, are at the risk of the onset of fire gases and vapours are emitted. By sampling with an ion mobility spectrometer specifically tuned for the materials fire risks can be determined and alarms triggered as a result. High sensitivity and selectivity allows rapid detection and prevents false alarms. For more details: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Flexible Bracket
A flexible bracket originally developed for attaching armour to a vehicle. The felexibility allows more resilient support for the armour during vehicle manoeuvre when compared with a rigid alternative, it’s potential applications are much wider. For more details: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Novel Uses of Polymer
A polymer composition comprising polyethylenimine and one or both of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl alcohol co-ethylene for protection against harmful and/or noxious agents. The invention further provides a laminate suitable for providing protection against harmful and/or noxious agents, The laminate uses a layer of a polymer composition comprising polyethylenimine and one or both of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl alcohol co-ethylene is also disclosed. For more details: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Skin Perforation Model
The skin perforation model is a physical tool to allow injury assessments from ballistic impacts and is valid for small projectiles i.e. fragments and bullets. Utilising a man-made component for the skin simulant to minimise variability between samples. It is simple to interpret in terms of a perforation/non-perforation result.
Super Bainite Armour Steel
Super Bainite steel is a high performance armour steel, following live fire trials it has been demonstrated to have a hardness matching that of alternative high hardness armour steels, and some ceramic armours, at a much reduced cost.
WIBS defence/CBRN bio-aerosol monitors
An instrument that can deliver reagent-free, real-time, continuous monitoring of bio-aerosols. This could be used for monitoring or as a “trigger” in defence and homeland security markets.