A groundbreaking high-tech military system which allows every soldier in a unit to see through the eyes of any other, has been unveiled. The new technology, which features communication antennas woven into the fabric of military uniforms, means video from a helmet-mounted camera, voice commands and GPS data can all be transmitted at once, even in the heat of battle when soldiers might be lying flat to avoid enemy fire.
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| Fighters of the future: The groundbreaking high-tech army infantry system features communication antennas woven into its fabric |
The system is designed to improve the awareness of a military team as a whole, allowing soldiers to see through the eyes of their team mates in real time.
The way the antennas work mean there is no need for soldiers to carry conventional radio whip-antennas which can be cumbersome and conspicuous.
BAE Systems, which has developed the series of Body Wearable Antennas (BWA), says it allows effective communication while helping improve soldier's agility in the field.
A spokesman said: 'Our demonstrator shows off the capability of this technology which transmits voice, video data and GPS location via the same antenna.
'If one soldier spots a situation, they can alert the team and share what they can see through their helmet mounted camera.
'The demonstration system links with a wrist-mounted commercially available touch screen smart phone and utilises its sensors to provide an augmented operational picture.
'This allows the team to tag objects, such as potential hazards which will appear highlighted on the phone's video image.
'Another major advantage of the wearable antenna system is that it is unaffected by the position of the wearer.
'With conventional whip-antenna systems, if a soldier has to lie on the ground, the communication between them and that of someone who is standing up can be severely compromised or even lost.
'Similarly, the signal from the short antenna on a portable radio can be masked by the user's body. A BWA system can be designed to give continuous 360 degree coverage.'
Jon Pinto, Antennas and Electromagnetics Group Leader from BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre said: 'Frontline soldiers carry a huge amount of weight when on patrol. 'Research into body wearable antennas has shown we could reduce this burden and in the future give forces improved communication capabilities and a significant advantage on the battlefield.'
BAE Systems is now exploring the potential of incorporating the system into the suits of fire-fighters for use during search and rescue, and for police patrol team members.
© Daily Mail, London |
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