May 23, 2003 – A center that seeks to “revolutionize soldier protection and performance” through nanotechnology officially opened Thursday in Cambridge, Mass.

The Institute for Solider Nanotechnologies, a joint effort of the U.S. Army and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, unveiled a 28,000 square-foot center on the outskirts of MIT’s campus. It will be staffed by about 35 faculty members and more than 100 students and visiting scientists from government or industry.

Launched last year with a five-year, $10 million contract from the Army, the institute will focus on potential military applications, ranging from lightweight, bulletproof uniforms to wearable health monitoring sensors. Industrial partners include DuPont, Raytheon and CIMIT.