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US Army Incorporates Augmented Reality Glasses into Combat Vehicles

The US Army announced last week that it is working to incorporate augmented reality technology and sensors into its vehicle platform for optimal battlefield visibility at every stage of the mission.

According to a story from Courtney Bacon, the Army is working to provide situational awareness while Troops are in transit using the Integrated Image Enhancement System, or IVAS. IVAS is a project designed to put enhanced navigation, intelligence, situational awareness, and target acquisition in the sights of tough enemies, special operations people, and their supporters. in close combat.

The goggle-based IVAS display integrates digital low-light, thermal night vision, and high-resolution waveguide technology to create a mixed reality look for the Dismounted Soldier. Optimizing the system for Soldiers at every stage of the mission, including transportation, is therefore paramount to ensuring success in future multi-domain operations.

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To maximize the integration of IVAS into the Bradley platform, specifically the Army Platform Integration team, which includes Soldiers of the Program Operations Office (PEO), PEO Ground Combat Systems, and Indicators Combat Capability Development (DEVCOM), conducted the Third Vehicle Excursion (VE3) test event at Camp Roberts, CA in September 2021.

“The goal of platform integration, like the one shown here on the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, is not just to ensure that IVAS-equipped soldiers don’t lose their enhanced situational awareness. high while mounted, but also take advantage of platform sensors that allow them to see what combat vehicles see,” said Major Shawn Jones, Platform Integration Team Leader, IVAS Project Manager of the IVAS. PEO Soldier said.

Soldiers from the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 2-7th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Ga, arrived to test capabilities and noticed that feeds from the Sensors are now more accessible to each soldier on the platform as they perform Advanced Explosive Devices (IEDs) Advanced Search, Reconnaissance, and Attack Missions.

Courtney Bacon’s photo

“The IVAS augmented reality system integrates communications, temperature, and night vision to enhance our situational awareness and lethality from within Bradley,” said Pfc. Benjamin Franke said. “It allows everyone to see what the driver, commander and gunner are seeing outside, which attracts more attention and increases immediate situational awareness as we get off the vehicle. ”

While Troops can receive mission updates such as emerging intelligence, terrain, and target locations while in transit, they also hope to utilize the physical advantages of the vehicle platform. convenient to maximize efficiency when disembarking.

“An individual Solider on the ground sometimes has limited enemy visibility due to obstructed vision,” says Sgt. Darrell Borgic 1st. “But the Bradley is taller and has better optics, so dismounters can take advantage of that to see their targets while on the ground and make informed tactical decisions. .”

Franke added: “The system allows us to see our target more so we don’t miss anything, which makes us safer. “Some of the assignments required us to scan the IED, so our getting off the train could also look for things that have really made a difference in our mission success.”

The evolution of integrated technology requires teammates to reach across multiple areas of expertise and facilitates new modern IVAS integration with Bradley. Don Aldea, PM Armored Vehicle Systems and Mechanical Engineer, and Chief Engineer for IVAS Integration, ensured Bradley and IVAS requirements were communicated and developed among diverse teams.

“It all started when leadership came in and asked, ‘When an IVAS-equipped Soldier jumps onto a platform or a Bradley for transport, how do we stay connected and the situational awareness they have? on the ground so that the combat advantage does not stop. Aldea said.

Courtney Bacon’s photo

It’s a complex issue, he says, with requirements and kits that aren’t easily compatible, but the team’s VE3 user research event is proof of concept that the capability is possible and operations that give greater lethality and survivability. Aldea highlighted several key technical features of the system.

“When a Soldier walks into Bradley wearing an IVAS, they can do three main things: VIEW, See the world, and power up,” he said. “We included interfaces to power and charge them, for the XEM we cloned the feeds from three existing sensors – the front DVE [Drivers Vision Enhancer], CIV of the driver [Commander’s Independent Viewer]and the gunner’s IBAS [Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystem] – so Soldiers can passively see what Bradley sees through their IVAS HUD [heads up display]. We also integrated the radio so that we can use all the features of IVAS to do the connected mission”.

Although Aldea is a systems engineer, he is passionate about the operability gap that the Bradley mounted IVAS will address.

“When the soldiers arrived at a position where they were ready to deploy outside the vehicle – to this day, they were mostly walking in darkness and gloom,” Aldea explained. “With this integrated technology, they can subscribe to maps, quests and update information. They can see what’s around them to strategically locate Bradley and then drop the ramp where they’re not being hit directly and execute instantly.
“In World View, they can also know where their sibling platforms are, so they can work together, cover more facilities, and make informed decisions and changes.” sudden changes on the go during my time at Bradley,” added Aldea.

The DEVCOM Night Vision Lab is also an important part of the integration team’s work. Dr. Navin Mathur, IVAS Platform Integration Lead Engineer, explained how the increase in visual and network accessibility provides an enhanced solution to the problem.

“There is a networked End User Device (EUD), like IVAS on the Soldier at the back of a platform like Bradley or Stryker, but it is only part of the solution,” said Mathur. “The SEE feature not only allows the entire crew to clear a large area within the vehicle’s safe range instead of getting off the vehicle and making physical contact, but the physical limitations of the Soldier and platform is greatly reduced through the further integration of the Army Black Hornet UAS [unmanned aerial system]. Drones incorporated into the IVAS HUD allow visibility over areas where the platform and mounting assembly cannot physically cover”.

Another notable aspect is the distribution and integration of the Soldier power into the vehicle platform.

“UBC [universal battery charger] being integrated on this platform will reduce the need for Soldiers to carry additional CWB [conformal wearable batteries] when removed on the objective and allows easy resupply of new batteries when inserted,” says Mathur. “Even if the mission is extended, our soldiers still have enough energy to carry out.”

IVAS is being developed to efficiently provide mission-related information and operations-related tools to Soldiers at every stage of the mission. Integrating technology with platforms and drones extends the combat advantages of a single disassembly beyond physical limitations.

“Together, it gives the entire force better situational awareness and allows soldiers to make more informed decisions before getting off the vehicle,” Mathur said. “There is no longer an information gap between installation, transport, and dismantling, which will increase survivability and lethality for both the platform and the Troops.”

The Enterprise Platform Integration team plans to conduct a user study with further integration of IVAS into the Stryker platforms in August 2022.

“This product has the potential to be a human factor,” says Franke. “It will help bring more vehicles, crews and people off the bus and I hope to be able to use it as it continues to grow in the future.”

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