Class 2M Nanomaterial Armor

The Class 2M is a new kind of armor made up of nanomaterials, controlled and powered by the combination Spacial Variance Reactor with an Encapsulated Computer Core (ECC). When not deployed the armor itself is contained within a deployment package which stores the nanomaterials in an compressed high energy state. Since the material itself can be patterned into varying states along the matter-energy spectrum, while in storage the material is kept in a highly cohesive liquified metallic energy state.

When the nanomaterials are damaged beyond repair they must be recycled and replaced. Nanomaterials are considerably harder to damage beyond repair than conventional materials. Most of the time the material can be reabsorbed into the structure of the armor allowing the armor to heal itself so long as power and computer control holds and there is time to do so.

Neural Interface

When deployed the innermost layer of armor is an adaptive neural receptive mesh which reads the neural-electrical state across the body and uses that information, with the help of the ECC to allow the armor to respond as part of the body itself.

Protection Capabilities

As compared to heavier armors such as the Class 1K or 2K Exoskeleton designs, this armor does not provide nearly as robust protection. The heavier armors are capable of withstanding more sheer pounding than this lighter armor. Howeven, it provides comparable protection to the Class 1M Combat Armor with significantly less weight and more versatility. The Class 1M still does have the benefit of being far less resource intensive to manufacture and maintain.

Environmental Protection

On top of the innermost layer of the armor is a cooling protective environmental barrier which also provide positive pressure and some amount of impact absorption, this layer maintains the environmental needs of the wearer (temperature, pressure, biological / chemical filtration). When needed the armor can also be used for full life support even in extreme conditions. This does require more power than other modes of operation and can degrade other areas of performance. That being said, the armor itself has been fully tested at extraordinarily high pressure changes or prolonged high pressure situations. Explosive and prolonged decompression environments have also been tested with high success.

The changes required within the armor work best when the wearer is trained and knows what needs to occur, as the armor responds to its wearer. This system is incredibly effective in situations where the armor is able to intuit changes that will be needed with the wearer, a theme which permeates into all aspects of operation of the armor.

Kinetic Protection

A layer of high density fibers which distribute and redirect kinetic impact force protects the wearer against direct blunt force impacts. This layer is easily damaged and will often reform itself to continually repair itself after impact or to provide extra protection to damaged portions of the body as directed by the wearer. Since the armor responds directly to the wearers reactions it is able to strengthen protection when the wearer prepares to receive a kinetic blow.

This fibrous layer also forms high density polymer plates within the weave of the fibers over critical areas, the fibers will tighten, losen, or even form into a solid mass when expecting a severe blow, this dynamic changing of shape give the armor outstanding performance when worn by someone skilled in hand to hand / close quarters combat.

Energy Protection

The kinetic protection layer is coated with an energy absorbing layer which coats over the energy armor structure, including the gloves, boots, and helmet. The coating provides a way for the armor itself to absorb and redirect incoming EM, subspace, and particle energy around the wearer and throughout the armor. Since the nanomaterials are capable of absorbing and storing incredible amounts of energy, the armor is particularly good at absorbing and using incoming directed EM and particle energy, though less effective against subspace directed energy weapons.

Distributed Deflector Shield

Throughout the outer layer of the armor are EM field emitting fibers which each produce a minute deflector field. These fibers work together, each producing a small amount of deflector field energy, when combined they produce a tightly cohesive deflector shield as the final layer of defense. This shield deflects or redirects incoming EM, particle, and kinetic energy but can weaken quickly, relying on the energy absorption abilities of the underlying layers to recharge the armors power reserves and recharge the deflector shield once it depletes.

Helmet, HUD, and Sensors

When fully deployed the armor deploys over the entire body, forming into boots, gloves, and a full helmet. The faceplate of the helmet responds to hazards and can be completely transparent with a standard HUD display or completely opaque projecting the outside world on the inside surface.

The armor has 5 sensor clusters, a singular one on the helmet and two in the front at the chest and two in the back. These clusters contain passive and active sensor arrays for EM, subspace, and temporal energy in both passive and active modes. The armor feeds this information through the ECC into the wearers HUD, also accepting information received by the ECC from other sources.

The helmet itself does not need to be deployed and can be recovered into the armor itself leaving the head and face free. Same for the gloves, or even boots and any other part of the armor.

Energy Projection

If the armor absorbs enough energy it can project that energy back out at close range or if direct to can form a kind of directed particle energy emitter similar to a phaser or disruptor which can discharge the excess energy held within the armor structure. This can be important as it is possible to overload the armor which could cause damage to the nanomaterials themselves if they take in too much energy without being able to release it. For the ease of the wearer, usually these emitters form in the hands or forearms, though this is not required.

Stealth

Due to the energy absorbing nature of the armor it is possible to configure the surface in such a way as to maximize the energy absorbency of the skin. This configuration allows the wearer to potentially increase their ability to hide or go unnoticed on sensors, especially when coupled with a scattering field or other tools.

Shapeshifting

Since the nanomaterials are dynamic in nature the armor is capable of shifting its shape, density, and structure according to the patterns indicated by the ECC. Thus, the ECC is programmed with a variety of armor configurations. Shapeshifting is an energy intensive process, and should be used with prudence. It can reform itself to compensate for current conditions and appearances of equal mass. This gives the armor the ability to have an innate chameleon ability, changing its color and texture to provide higher concealment or even mimic the look of other armor.

While it is not capable of shifting itself to look like another person, it can shift to take on the appearance of other body armor types which share similar characteristics even able to provide limited mimicking of some types of uniforms. Mostly uniforms and armors that share it's form-fitting qualities.

This also allows simple weapons and physical shields can be produced by the armor itself as a function of the nanomaterials. The armor has enough nanomaterials in a standard deployment for the full suit of armor and equivalent mass of up to 3 katana style swords. It need not produce these weapons, but it can. The same amount of material can be used to provide other shapes as well, such as a shield and a sword, a single large shield, or even smaller bladed / blunt force weapons.

Matter Manipulation

The nanomaterials the armor is made of can absorb and redistribute matter in a limited sense. The material itself is capable of breaking down and reforming existing matter and integrating that matter into itself, essentially bulking itself up with matter the material comes into contact with. This is not permanent and when the armor is recovered it will lose this additional mass, reverting to something similar to its previous state.

Clothing & Tools

The armor is designed as a rapid deployment technology, this means it must deal with the inevitable fact that the wearer will ultimately be clothed when it deploys. The nanomaterials will absorb and reform the clothes of the wearer into the armor itself upon deployment and push the tools, weapons, and other gear from the body out to the surface of the armor, forming a utility belt and whatever other harnessing is needed for the gear to make it easily accessible. A wearer has the capability to customize this deployment in a way that works best for them. Jewelry items such as pendants, rings, and other often precious items are automatically left alone by the armor to avoid the potential destruction of items the wearer finds valuable. In addition the wearer can specify how to deal with certain articles of clothing during deployment.

Clothes and other items are returned to their original state when the armor is recovered.