Soldiers have to be on top of what's going on around them; their lives depend on it. Technology helps: for example, night-vision goggles that amplify the ambient light either in the visible or near-infrared ranges. A great gadget, except for its weight, bulk, and need for batteries. Nanotechnology may provide some new great gadgets that are smaller, lighter, and more integrated.

What if you could integrate capabilities into soldiers' kits and clothing that would dramatically enhance their ability to monitor themselves and their surroundings? At MIT's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN), researchers are developing new materials that can sense changes in a soldier's body surface temperature and even tell whether he or she is being targeted by a laser.