Why the U.S. Army is Engineering Artificial Human Tissue

Researchers from the U.S. Army’s DEVCOM, the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), and the Energetics Technology Center are creating synthetic materials that replicate the electrical, electromagnetic, and mechanical properties of human skin, bone, and brain tissue. The goal is to change how the military evaluates the effects of electromagnetic radiation from radars, communication systems, and other field equipment—without relying on living human tissue.

Unlike earlier tissue simulants built for ballistic or mechanical testing, the new materials are designed to mimic exactly how electromagnetic waves travel through the body. Dave Herston, a neuroscientist with ARL, emphasized that the materials must react to electromagnetic fields as human tissue does while also possessing the right mechanical characteristics. “To better protect soldiers, we are investing in models and materials for studying the nervous system and human tissues,” he said.

The project has already overcome a major hurdle: stability. Previous soft-tissue models dried out or required controlled storage, but the new formulations retain water content and can sit at room temperature for months without losing their electromagnetic properties. The team also developed a 3D-printing process using resin to create porous bone structures, which are then filled with conductive gels, allowing precise tuning of material properties. ARL bioengineer Chris Sinks noted that the lack of suitable models had been a key bottleneck in studying electromagnetic wave transmission through the body.

Where Synthetic Tissue Technology Could Go Beyond the Battlefield

From Ballistic Dummies to Bioelectromagnetics

The Army’s pivot from purely mechanical tissue models to ones that accurately simulate electromagnetic behavior signals a growing recognition that radiofrequency exposure is a critical occupational hazard for soldiers. Radars and tactical communication gear emit continuous low-level radiation, and standard mechanical surrogates are useless for measuring absorption or heating patterns inside the body. By engineering materials that replicate the dielectric and conductive properties of real tissue, researchers can now run repeatable lab tests that produce data directly relevant to safety limits.

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A 3D-Printed Solution for the Hardest Part—Bone

Bone has proven especially difficult to mimic because its composite structure creates unique electromagnetic interactions that standard polymers cannot reproduce. The Army’s approach—3D printing a resin scaffold with precisely controlled pore architecture and then infusing it with conductive gels—lets teams separately dial in mechanical strength and electrical performance. That dual-control capability is new, and it overcomes the one-size-fits-all constraints of earlier bone phantoms. With skin, bone, and brain simulants now working, the next phase will stack them into a multi-layered human head model, enabling far more realistic whole-system dose measurements.

Dual-Use Potential Beyond the Armed Forces

While the immediate customer is the soldier, the technology has a clear civilian path. The same synthetic tissues could be used to test wearable medical sensors, health-monitoring systems embedded in helmets or uniforms, and any consumer or industrial device that emits electromagnetic fields—including next-generation telecom gear. Because the materials are stable at room temperature and do not degrade over months, they lower the barrier for medical device companies and regulators to conduct repeated exposure testing without involving human subjects or animal tissue.

What This Means for Defense Planners and Medtech Developers

For defense decision-makers:

  • Factor the Army’s tissue-model data into upcoming electromagnetic safety standards once the multi-layered head model yields validated dose metrics. The project’s explicit aim is more precise safe-exposure limits, and procurement specifications for protective gear will need to reflect those findings.
  • Engage with DEVCOM and ARL to explore how the new simulants could accelerate testing of novel communication or radar systems before field deployment, potentially shortening the approval pipeline for new equipment.

For medical-device and telecom developers:

  • The stable, room-temperature tissue formulations open a practical route for pre-clinical testing of body-worn sensors, health-monitoring patches, and integrated communication devices. Companies that license or replicate the Army’s material chemistry may gain a faster, ethical alternative to human-tissue testing.
  • Watch for published data on the electromagnetic properties of the skin, bone, and brain simulants. Those parameters could become reference standards for regulatory submissions involving electromagnetic compatibility and safety of wearable electronics.