This study is a reconsideration of G-Suit compression garments that are used by pilots and astronauts to combat temporary orthostatic intolerance and hypoxia during acceleration, which can lead to g-LOC or blackout. Unlike those existing suits, which have many layers and contain some form of bladder and tube system for compressed air or liquid, this Gravity Operated Omni-Directional Suit (GOOD Suit) consists of a smart textile that contracts when it is stimulated, compressing the body in strategic areas to push blood up to the brain. It is lighter and better ventilated, too, and there is no bladder to fail.

The smart textile features compression bands composed of shape memory polymers (SMPs) and carbon nanotube electro-yarns (CNTs) that warm up and dramatically contract when a current runs through them. Powered by contact with the vehicle’s chair, an accelerometer informs the frequency and duration of the charges, proportionally constricting the suit to counteract g-forces. In the event of chair ejection, during an emergency, the GOOD Suit will continue to be powered and function until its wearer is safely on the ground.