Return to the archive index

Re: HMD's and driving

From:
Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 01:54:12 EDT

--===============1533978468==
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
	boundary="part1_9b.5eb810df.2fa71a84_boundary"

--part1_9b.5eb810df.2fa71a84_boundary
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

So - years ago when I made the first integrated helmet systems for the 
infantry I was very proud of the spectacular 1000-line biocular display system with 
see-through beamsplitter optics.   It tilted up and down to allow direct or 
combined vision.   After final testing at Ft. Benning I got a debriefing by the 
staff.   The Sergeant was enthusiastic about the helmet integrated display, 
the first Soldier's Computer, the first ability to fire the weapon around the 
corner using a weapon-mounted video sight, and especially the Soldier's Radio: 
the individual soldier had never had radios and (duh) they found an enormous 
increase in effectiveness when the squad leader could whisper instructions so 
they operated as one organism.

I said : "Sergeant, I am glad you like the SIPE system.   But... why do you 
have black masking tape over the tilt-up visor?"

In the vernacular of the infantry he said "Well ...if I am trying to read my 
computer readout map or mission orders I don't want no $#@%& truck driving 
through it.   
And if I am trying to see some guy who is trying to kill me, I don't want   
no @$#% computer crap getting in the way."

Oh.

And I have not since then built another see-through system..... 
Hollywood's Terminator-vsion notwithstanding.   
All of them have used opaque, swing-away optics.

P.S.:   if driving while using a cellphone is controversial, I suspect 
driving with an active near-eye display would be a jailing offense.

N.B.: For a real thrill, you should try driving a car with night vision 
goggles.   It's enough to stop your breathing.

Oliver Edwards

--part1_9b.5eb810df.2fa71a84_boundary
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Gen=
eva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">So - years ago when I made the first in=
tegrated helmet systems for the infantry I was very proud of the spectacular=
 1000-line biocular display system with see-through beamsplitter optics.&nbs=
p;  It tilted up and down to allow direct or combined vision.   After f=
inal testing at Ft. Benning I got a debriefing by the staff.   The Serg=
eant was enthusiastic about the helmet integrated display, the first Soldier=
's Computer, the first ability to fire the weapon around the corner using a=20=
weapon-mounted video sight, and especially the Soldier's Radio: the individu=
al soldier had never had radios and (duh) they found an enormous increase in=
 effectiveness when the squad leader could whisper instructions so they oper=
ated as one organism.<BR>
<BR>
I said : "Sergeant, I am glad you like the SIPE system.   But... why do=
 you have black masking tape over the tilt-up visor?"<BR>
<BR>
In the vernacular of the infantry he said "Well ...if I am trying to read my=
 computer readout map or mission orders I don't want no $#@%& truck driv=
ing through it.   <BR>
And if I am trying to see some guy who is trying to kill me, I don't want&nb=
sp;  no @$#% computer crap getting in the way."<BR>
<BR>
Oh.<BR>
<BR>
And I have not since then built another see-through system..... <BR>
Hollywood's Terminator-vsion notwithstanding.   <BR>
All of them have used opaque, swing-away optics.<BR>
<BR>
P.S.:   if driving while using a cellphone is controversial, I suspect=20=
driving with an active near-eye display would be a jailing offense.<BR>
<BR>
N.B.: For a real thrill, you should try driving a car with night vision gogg=
les.   It's enough to stop your breathing.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Oliver Edwards<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"=
2"></FONT></HTML>
--part1_9b.5eb810df.2fa71a84_boundary--

--===============1533978468==
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

_______________________________________________
Wear-Hard mailing list

http://www.haven.org/mailman/listinfo/wear-hard

--===============1533978468==--

+Previous Message in Thread | Next Message in Thread

From Wear-Hard Mailing list Archive (WH)
Maintained by R. Paul McCarty

Archive created with babymail