- Natick Soldier Systems Center tests gear for extreme conditions to improve soldier safety.
- Experiments enhance military gear, focusing on clothing, food, and human performance.
- Scientists at Natick study the effects of sleep deprivation and physical strain on soldiers' endurance.
From flash fires to freezing rooms, the US Army Natick Soldier Systems Center has spent more than 60 years pushing equipment and soldiers to their limits.
The research facility opened in Massachusetts in 1954 following gear failures during World War II. In a 1943 Alaska operation, for example, soldiers' leather boots couldn't protect them from the constant damp, cold conditions, which resulted in more troops injured with trench foot than enemy fire.
Today, Natick runs controlled experiments across clothing, food, and human performance. In one lab, uniforms are exposed to burns to measure how long a soldier would have to escape a flash fire. In another, low-oxygen environments replicate conditions above 14,000 feet to track how memory and alertness change.
Scientists also study how sleep deprivation and sustained physical strain affect performance. Business Insider went inside the facility and spoke with scientists and soldiers about how these experiments influence the gear and systems of future warfare.
The center has spent decades testing and refining military helmets.
The work dates back to the 1970s, when the lab began transitioning soldiers away from heavy steel helmets. Today, they're made of lighter thermoplastics.
That shift reduced weight, but it introduced new challenges. Modern gear, like night-vision devices, has pushed helmet weight to more than 6 pounds, increasing strain on soldiers' necks.
To address this, researchers are now studying how helmets fit at the individual level. They scan soldiers' heads and develop custom padding systems designed to stabilize the helmet and prevent it from shifting and wobbling during use.
Experts test Army uniforms to ensure they can protect soldiers during a "flash" — a sudden fire triggered when a military vehicle or aircraft ignites.
The tests use mannequins equipped with 124 sensors to track heat exposure across the body.
These sensors record the percentage of first-, second-, and third-degree burns the mannequin would receive.
The goal is to evaluate how well materials protect against rapid bursts of heat while still remaining wearable.
Researchers use the results to refine fabrics and designs that can balance fire protection with comfort and mobility.
Soldiers also test uniforms by dragging this 180-pound dummy to simulate moving a wounded soldier to safety.
The exercise places strain on the body, particularly the legs, allowing researchers to observe how gear affects movement and endurance.
Sensors and tracking systems capture how soldiers perform as they drag the dummy across the floor.
The data is then analyzed to see how different equipment designs impact speed, mobility, and effort.
These tests help researchers evaluate whether gear supports or limits soldiers in physically demanding situations like rescue scenarios.
The facility's Doriot Climatic Chambers can simulate temperatures from -72 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Doriot Climatic Chambers are designed to recreate some of the harshest environmental conditions soldiers may face.
They can simulate extreme temperatures, high winds, and heavy rain, allowing scientists to evaluate how equipment holds up under combined stressors.
One of the primary focuses is to test gear and soldiers' performance in the Arctic, a region of growing importance to the US military.
Oxygen-deprived rooms, called hypobaric chambers, simulate high-altitude environments where soldiers may operate.
By reducing oxygen levels, the facility can replicate conditions up to about 14,000 feet. Some tests last up to 24 hours to track performance over extended exposure.
Researchers study how these conditions affect cognitive functions like memory, alertness, and decision-making.
The facility previously conducted a long-duration experiment known as the "Everest study," in which soldiers remained in simulated high-altitude conditions for about 40 days to simulate an ascent. Such extended studies are no longer performed.
A virtual reality simulator tracks soldiers' decision-making across live-fire scenarios.
The system places participants in simulated environments with moving threats and targets.
If a soldier misses a target or engages a non-target, the system can deliver a physical shock, adding immediate feedback to the simulation.
During simulated missions, sensors track soldiers' actions in real time, allowing researchers to measure how they respond under pressure.
The Army is expanding this type of training, citing lower costs compared with using live ammunition.
The simulator also allows soldiers to train in a range of scenarios without needing a physical range.
Natick has spent decades testing and refining military rations, including a long-running effort to develop a shelf-stable pizza.
Early MREs (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) in the 1980s focused on durability and portability, but taste was a major issue, with limited menus leading to what researchers called "menu fatigue."
Over time, the lab expanded its food research beyond 12 menu items, working to improve both variety and quality. Pizza became one of the most complex items to engineer, requiring years of testing to maintain texture and stability.
Researchers spent roughly two decades developing a version that could keep the crust from becoming soggy while remaining shelf-stable.
Released in 2018, the US Army's modern pizza MRE is designed to last up to three years at 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Not all experiments are successful. The facility's exoskeleton prototype was eventually found impractical and abandoned.
Natick's full-body exoskeleton was designed to enhance soldier strength and endurance.
In testing, however, if a soldier fell while wearing the suit, it was difficult or impossible to get back up.
While the applications of a full-body exoskeleton are promising, Natick researchers told Business Insider the technology is not yet advanced enough.
