From: "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury@www.aeiveos.com>
>I haven't read this in a while, but I think an active shield is
>one that response actively to a threat. Like a fabric that is
>very soft under normal conditions, but upon sensing a sharply
>penetrating force, becomes as strong as steel. It is kind of
>like the airbag in a car. This could also be done with a flying
>swarm of nanobots in close proximity to your body. These are
>discussed a little bit in Nanomedicine.
Sounds like a layers of Kevlar and chain mail, to protect from both guns and knives....
Brian
Member, Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
Life Extension Foundation, www.lef.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
Mars Society, www.marssociety.org
Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W
Reading: "The Truth Machine" by James L. Halperin