The United States Army recently unveiled augmented reality glasses for fighting dogs. Designed to allow them to receive orders from a distance, these glasses could save lives according to their creators.
Give orders more easily
The idea of augmented reality glasses for dogs is obviously a smile. Nonetheless, as the BBC explains in an October 9, 2020 article, this is a very serious project. At the origin of this initiative, we find the company Command Sight, whose activities are funded by the US Army and supervised by the Army Research Laboratory.
Like the police, the military uses dogs in many operations, some of which involve significant risks. Dogs are used for rescue operations and the search for explosives, among other things. Obviously, giving orders from a distance to these animals is less obvious than to a human with a walkie-talkie. Thus, equipping dogs with augmented reality (AR) glasses would make it easier to give orders from a distance. According to the creators, this device can save lives, whether it is humans or animals.
A device that may be of interest to armies around the world
These AR glasses allow humans to point a lens in the dog’s field of vision. However, the animal will be trained to follow this point and what it sees will be transmitted in real-time to the operator. The human will therefore have insight into what is happening in the area in question. Stephen Lee of the Army Research Laboratory says the military doggie community is eagerly awaiting the project’s progress. On the other hand, he did not hesitate to recall that the project was only in its infancy. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that this device could be of interest to the armies of the world if successful. The BBC also interviewed a British serviceman on the matter. The man felt that customizing glasses for each dog would be bordering on ridiculous expense. Nevertheless, the military praised the potential tactical advantages of this kind of device.
In February 2020, we were already talking about a significant US Army interest in augmented reality. In fact, the United States Army signed a contract with Microsoft to acquire HoloLens 2 augmented reality headsets. The order concerned no less than 40,000 headsets for delivery in 2021. Called Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), helmets offer multiple possibilities for receiving assistance in the field.
Email: ben@satprwire.com Phone: +44 20 4732 1985
Ben has been listening to the technology news for quite some time that he needs just a single read to get an idea surrounding the topic. Ben is our go-to choice for in-depth reviews as well as the normal articles we cover on a normal basis.
