A method of manufacturing an article of personal protective equipment, such as a protective glove, headgear, footwear, suit, or other protective device, wearable by a wearer for protecting the wearer against noxious agents, such as an article of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) personal protective equipment. The article of personal protective equipment may comprise a plurality of regions that cover different parts of the wearer's body and have different properties, such as different levels of protection against noxious agents, breath ability, heat loss capability, dexterity, tactility, stretchability, and/or another function.

A method of manufacturing an article of personal protective equipment, such as a protective glove, headgear, footwear, suit, or other protective device, wearable by a wearer for protecting the wearer against noxious agents, such as an article of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) personal protective equipment. The article of personal protective equipment may comprise a plurality of regions that cover different parts of the wearer's body and have different properties, such as different levels of protection against noxious agents, breath ability, heat loss capability, dexterity, tactility, stretchability, and/or another function.

A method of differentially tuning a lower limb muscle in a human in need thereof is provided. The method includes placement of at least two calibrated, differential disturbances or protuberances under the human's feet thereby tuning a lower limb muscle.

A method of differentially tuning a lower limb muscle in a human in need thereof is provided. The method includes placement of at least two calibrated, differential disturbances or protuberances under the human's feet thereby tuning a lower limb muscle.

An insole which generates an air flow during use, which assists in cooling or warming the foot of a user is disclosed. In a first embodiment, air flow facilitated by said insole provides for convective heat transfer away from the plantar surface of the foot. The insole is intended for insertion into a shoe which is ventilated, preferably an athletic shoe with a ventilated upper. The bottom layer defines a plurality of ridges and a channel lining portion which together define a plurality of air channels. The bottom layer defines a heel recess in which a heel pad is situated. In a second embodiment, an insole which collects, retains, and heats and to a user's foot is disclosed. Said insole further comprises a middle layer of thermal reflective material secured to and coextensive with a top layer and a bottom layer secured to said middle layer.

A ventilation apparatus including a pump, a switching unit, and a fluid diffuser is provided. The pump attached to the footwear pumps fluid into and exhausts fluid from a cavity of the footwear. The switching unit in communication with the pump selectively changes modes of operation of the pump. The fluid diffuser connected to the pump within the cavity of the footwear includes a feed pipe for transferring the fluid pumped from the pump to the cavity of the footwear during a pump mode of operation and to transfer the fluid in the cavity of the footwear to an ambient environment external to the footwear during an exhaust mode of operation, for ventilating the footwear. In one or more embodiments, the fluid diffuser includes a diffusing member with one or more openings and/or a fluid distribution channel member for transferring the fluid to and from the cavity of the footwear.

The present disclosure generally relates to intelligent garments that provide thermal regulation in a variety of environments. The garments may include different layers such as a hydrophilic layer in direct contact with a wearer's skin surface and saturated with an aqueous mixture, a spacer layer, a reflective layer, and an outer hydrophobic layer. The layers of the garment may work together to reduce the metabolic expenditure of the wearer in extreme environmental conditions or during demanding physical activity. A variety of sensors may be displaced throughout the garments so as to enable the collection of data associated with wearers as well as environmental conditions. Wearers may control the thermal balance and other properties of the garments as desired.

The present invention relates broadly to a device for evaluating the mobility of a foot arch of a person. The device includes a base formed from two separate base members. The first base member includes a first zone configured to receive a foot of the or user to be evaluated. Position sensors in the form of a plurality of contact pressure sensor are mounted within the first zone of the first base member for detecting whether the foot to be evaluated is in a desired position relative to the first base member. The first base member includes a biofeedback sensor engaged or contacted by at least a portion of the foot arch. The biofeedback sensor includes an inflatable bladder mounted to the first base member and configured so that changes to the configuration of the foot arch cause a corresponding change to the configuration of the bladder.

An insect repellant system includes a signal generator configured to receive a power input and provide first and second outputs. A first conductive element is connected to the first output and configured to electrically couple the first output to a subject to be protected. A second conductive element is connected to the second output and configured to electrically couple the second output to earth ground. The second conductive element is electrically isolated from the subject to be protected.

A method of treating a patient suffering from pain in the lower limb or a lower limb musculoskeletal disease is provided. The method includes placement of at least two calibrated, differential disturbances or protuberances under the patient's feet.