“The MIT team’s hope is to 3D print body armor that can move with the body where needed. Their inspiration was the scales that cover most fish, which range in size depending on what part of the fish they cover. The armor could be more rigid at vital points like the torso, but then more flexible around joints, allowing soldiers to move while being protected all over their bodies.”
Source: MIT Scientists Design Bulletproof Armor Modeled on Fish Scales – Nextgov.com