Upcoming “holo-goggles” for US soldiers

DARPA, the US agency for the development of new military technologies, has commissioned the development of holographic goggles that will give US soldiers on the ground more efficient air support.

With the new goggles, more precise data can be given to pilots when air support is requested, which would cut down on operational and bureaucratic procedures that currently go through radio channels, complicated informatics systems, intelligence analysts, commanders and air traffic controls. Soldiers on the ground would have direct contact with the air support.

DARPA is funding Vuzix, the company that makes video glasses for general consumption, as well as Northrop Grumman and Raytheon, which specialize in making technological devices for defense.

The concept is a pair of “holo-goggles” connected to a head movement sensor with a link that provides information in real time. The head tracker shows where the user is looking, so the information it sees changes with his head movement.

The Vuzix solution based on holograms uses a standard micro display connected to a piece of flat glass that acts as an optical waveguide. Light travels from the display to the glass and bounces around its flat surfaces. These beams are then directed at holographic film, which bounces the images to the eyes.

If the project works, the system will be very small, often only 3 millimeters. Moreover, when the display is off, the device could be used as regular sunglasses.