A mechanical engineer professor took on the problem of police protection and he might have found a great solution. He and his team drew inspiration from an unlikely source: origami.
The shield can be compactly folded and easily transported. It consists of thin sheets of Kevlar and is about as heavy as a large suitcase. Even though it is compact it expands in five seconds which allows it to be used in unexpected dangerous situations.
The designer also pictured it being used to protect children and other people in dangerous situations where there is no cover.
According to Daily Mail:
Design is made up of 12 layers of bulletproof Kevlar.
Weighs only 55 pounds (25 kilograms). Many of the steel shields currently used approach 100 pounds (45 kilograms).
It uses a Yoshimura origami crease pattern to expand around an officer, providing protection on the side in addition to protecting them in the front.
When expanded — which takes only five seconds — it can provide cover for officers and stop bullets from several types of handguns.
In testing, the barrier successfully stopped bullets from smaller 9 mm pistols, all the way up to .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum 'hand cannons'.