Military and Tactical Operations

Virtual Environment (VE) research at the NASA Ames Research Center during the mid to late 1980s produced the first Virtual Reality-HMDs. Commercialization of the technology in the early 1990s was one of the converging trends that brought VR to the general public. Head Mounted Displays are ideal for Virtual Reality simulations or presentations. They can block out the surrounding world, allowing for complete immersion into the virtual setting. Military researchers have long worked with HMDs as wearable Virtual Reality Helmets, Video Goggles or Heads-Up Displays (HUDs), for augmented reality or night vision systems and they have developed a significant body of knowledge on HMD design.

Pictured below, the US Navy uses an i-glassses HMD in their VR Parachute Trainer at the Naval Air Base in Pensacola. Used to train pilots, copilots and navigators, the simulator allows them to hang from a harness just a few inches from the ground while experiencing the feel of a 4,000-foot jump. Unlike bulky Virtual Reality Helmets or VR Headsets, the i-glasses, weighing in at only seven ounces, are lightweight, comfortable and fully adjustable. Because of their sleek design, they can be used in conjunction with ordinary prescription eyeglasses. In addition to Military applications, Virtual Reality training simulations are used by forestry firefighter (smokejumper) parachutists for training and proficiency maintenance, and have resulted in dramatically minimized injuries from downwind landings and obstacle collisions.

In conjunction with Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), i-glasses portable head-worn video monitors have supported U.S. Armed Forces around the world under the most challenging conditions where applications included gathering reconnaissance data and monitoring borders. Today, applications closer to home include monitoring pipelines and utility assets, penetrating and analyzing volcanic plumes, monitoring forest fires, protecting citizens or finding those who are lost or in distress. The portablity of both the i-glasses and the UAS devices allow precise situational awareness day or night, turning imagery into intelligence.

Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) units, first responders and law enforcement agencies worldwide are using the i-glasses portable video monitor glasses with Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UVS) to help assure safety during the most dangerous missions. The light weight and portability of i-glasses make them perfect for use with mobile robot systems during hazardous-duty operations such as bomb disposal or removing chemical and bio hazardous materials.

Pictured right, a small video camera attached to a telescopic arm is used with an HMD to perform surveillance through a second story window. Other Remote Camera Systems can be pushed under doors, through ventilation ducts, or through small gaps in walls or masonry. When used in conjunction with Snake Camera systems, i-glasses HMDs are ideal for inspecting pipes, small spaces or other areas with limited access. Because it's both a portable and wearable video monitor, the i-glasses Head Mounted Display allows the user to view video images in real-time and eliminates the need to carry around a heavy video monitor.

Pictured left, a dive specialist using the head-worn i-glasses video monitor together with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to monitor underwater video. ROVs are highly maneuverable, linked by tether lines and operated by a person aboard a surface vessel. Equipped with a video camera and lights, they can be used to inspect subsea structures, pipelines and platforms. More recently, government agencies such as the US Coast Guard are using Underwater Robots to secure ports and waterways. Other applications include Search and Recovery, Accident and Underwater Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), Water Tank Inspections, Advanced Aquaculture Operations, Wreck Surveys, Science Research, Diver Monitoring, Film Production and Recreation. Some larger ROVs employ sonars, magnetometers, still cameras, manipulators or cutting arms, water samplers, and instruments that measure water clarity, light penetration and temperature. Their tasks include undersea construction as well as the repair and maintenance of ship hulls and pipelines.

More recently, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has funded an HMD project to develop a display that can be coupled with a Portable Information System. The idea here is that an augmented-reality system could provide troops with vital information about their surroundings, such as showing where entrances are on the opposite end of a building, somewhat like X-Ray vision. Augmented reality displays could also highlight troop movements and give soldiers the ability to move to where the enemy can't see them.