Cable of duty: A wearable Ethernet connection.

Designed to perform reliably in high-stress and electronically noisy environments.

  • EMI-proof
  • MIL-STD-461 design
  • Watertight IP67 assembly
  • Low-profile routing for body-worn kits

Engineered for reliable wear

Reduced strain on connected devices

Connector behavior and transitions minimize stress on ports during bending, movement and repeated use common with wearable devices.

Full shielding

EMI shielding and electrostatic discharge protection are built directly into the board, so the cable performs reliably in electrically noisy environments.

Consistent field performance

The LAN9500 chipset delivers reliable 10/100 Mbps connectivity during missions.

Sealed, reinforced housing

The overmolded aluminum enclosure seals out dust, moisture and impact while protecting internal connections from bending or strain.

Results that make a difference

Reduces system-level risk

We protected USB and Ethernet connections from wear with overmolding and strain relief.

Supports dependable communication

We accounted for electronic noise and nearby devices in the design, so systems maintain stable communication during real operations.

Project Overview

Wearable connectivity for tactical systems

This project focused on a small but critical part of soldier-worn communication systems: the Ethernet connection between devices carried on the body. In the field, these connections were often handled with consumer cables that were never designed for constant movement, electronic noise or high-risk environments.

28 Gorilla worked to define what a wearable Ethernet solution needed to be.

The Challenge

Wearable cables pose a risk

In soldier-worn systems, Ethernet cables are not passive accessories. They move with the body, route through tight kits, and sit next to radios, batteries and other electronics. Consumer cables were never designed for that context.

Our Approach

Design for the body and the mission

28 Gorilla approached this as a wearable systems problem, not a cable problem.

Convenience doesn’t matter if the connection fails. We built this so reliability comes first, because that’s what soldiers care about most.

Up close with Ethernet Adapter Cable

Skills & Equipment Used

  • Industrial product design
  • Electrical engineering design
    • Defined signal integrity requirements for a wearable Ethernet connection
    • Designed EMI-aware interfaces to operate alongside radios and other electronics
  • Mechanical engineering
    • Defined connector transitions to protect device ports under repeated use
    • Accounted for routing, bending, and body-worn constraints in the design
  • Firmware development
  • Software product development
  • Product concept development

Defense product design

  • Designed to meet MIL-STD-461 requirements for EMI and electrostatic discharge
  • Designed to meet MIL-STD-810 requirements for environmental durability
  • Considered how the cable fits into tactical kits and worn systems.