Image credit – Command Sight
You know those cool heads-up displays we typically see in sci-fi or action movies? Turns out that the US army wants them too, and it seems that they have already implemented something similar. However, it appears that soldiers won’t be wearing these goggles, instead it looks like military dogs will be given them instead.
Why dogs, you ask? For those unfamiliar with the role dogs play in the military, they are basically used to scout ahead and look for things like explosives. However, the problem is that they need to have their handlers near them to issue commands, and since humans do not have the sniffing capabilities of a dog, the handlers themselves might be the ones to set off an explosive that the dog has yet to discover.
It also leaves handlers more exposed to the enemy where they could then be targeted, versus a dog who might be less conspicuous. By using AR goggles, it allows handlers to issue commands remotely to their canine partners. The AR goggles can also overlay information which can act as visual cues for these dogs, and the built-in camera also means that the handlers can see what their dogs are seeing.
The current design is essentially a retrofitting of the goggles that dogs already wear to protect their eyes from the elements, meaning that the dogs are already used to them. It is far from being ready for practical use, but it is an interesting idea.
Filed in . Read more about Augmented Reality (AR), Social Hit and Wearable Tech. Source: army.mil