In a dark demonstration room on the 12th floor of an office building within sight of the Pentagon, a small group of tech-hungry defense journalists recently took turns with a blue gun and the Army’s latest binocular night-vision goggles.
The two-and-a-half pound set doesn’t seem like much, but Army soldiers testing the device at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the dark of night are raving about the clarity and increased situational awareness.
The secret: black-and-white images combined with augmented reality.
The goggles use the same white phosphor technology used in 1950s black-and-white TV sets. Soldiers say it makes for clearer images than the green screens in legacy night-vision goggles. Targets and depth perception are further clarified by augmented reality outlines of people and landscape features.
When they see better, they shoot better, said John Ennis of Elbit America, which is partnering with the Army to produce the new night-vision goggles.
“A lot of people think there’s a lot more clarity to it,” said Ennis. “The basic feedback I’ve gotten is if you think you’re seeing better and clearer, you’re going to perform better.”
The adjustment to looking through a set of goggles lowered from your helmet is not automatic.
The center of the field of vision is the black-and-white thermal image. The information is spread across the field, including a compass setting at the top and a small picture-in-picture-like image transferred directly from the soldier’s weapon sight to the bottom-right corner.
In the dark Elbit demo room, a Washington Examiner reporter could view a changing video feed as he pointed a blue training weapon in different directions. Confusion arises when trying to switch mentally between a black-and-white image in front that is controlled by the direction that the head is turning, a bottom-right image controlled by the direction the gun is pointed, a scattering of data points elsewhere on the screen, and the need to pull the goggles apart occasionally to straighten a jacket and tie to ensure a useful video clip.
Elbit’s Greg Ciares said there’s much more data that can be plugged into the viewscreen.
He captures the continued development of the new goggles in a single question: “How do I put as much information as possible into a display?”
Multiple pictures and data points, including markings shared by other soldiers warning of possible threats, may seem like some to be too much, but the generation of soldiers using the goggles are used to seeing screens chock-full of information.
“They grew up with electronics,” said Ennis. “They really understand it because a lot of it’s really intuitive what they’re supposed to be doing, and they’re just more comfortable with technology.”
Depending on the soldier’s task as a gunner, scout, or communications specialist, he or she can adjust the settings to provide the needed data.
Nonetheless, defense technology companies realize there is still too much data. The race to use artificial intelligence to process and prioritize what is important is already underway. For example, a pilot may have several threats, some closer than others, some pointing at the pilot, and some pointing away. AI can categorize and highlight the most urgent threats for the pilot.
Previous night-vision goggles were monocular systems, meaning one eye sees normally and one sees through the night-vision. Testers are finding that with the new binocular system, soldiers can drive vehicles, and dismounted service members can walk and maneuver much faster.
“Iron vision” was already introduced in armored vehicles and aircraft, allowing crew members to “see through” the armor on their tank or cockpit using cameras set on the outside.
The Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binoculars will soon wirelessly connect to other available systems for added protection.
Caires said the company wants soldiers’ goggles to connect to the iron vision systems of the vehicles they are riding in. That way, a soldier about to exit a helicopter or armored vehicle can “see through” its armor to identify threats and safe features for cover.
Ennis said the new goggles will fit the Army’s need to remain connected as it prepares for potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.
“They’re going to be island hopping. They’re going to be in smaller units,” he said. “You’re going to be able to communicate with each other, and this type of technology enables that. For the Army, that’s where they’re trying to go.”
