(Left) DARPA EEG interface, the CT2WS (Right) DARPA 120 megapixel camera system (via DARPA)
In order to assist our soldiers and keep them safe DARPA has worked on various projects from robotic helpers to frighteningly accurate guns. Their latest project, known as the Cognitive Technology Threat Warning System(CT2WS), has been created to help our soldiers better identify threats. The system currently works through a 120 megapixel camera and a stationed soldier equipped with an EEG brainwave scanner.
In order to identify a possible threat, the camera snaps many pictures of the environment. Those images are then sent through a cognitive visual processing algorithm, which also flashes them before the human as quickly as ten per second. While the images are flashed before the human, the EEG scanner is constantly scanning for P300 signals in the brain. The P300 signal is a highly reliable signal triggered when the brain recognizes something important. The signals are even triggered subconsciously if something even similar to a threat appears.
Testing out the system in some different environments DARPA found that it can identify targets successfully 91 percent of the time. The targets mostly tracked in the tests were common threats currently encountered by soldiers such as IEDs. Furthermore, DARPA found that if radar or drones get involved threat detection becomes nearly 100 percent accurate. Alerting soldiers of potential threats on the battlefield will increase their vision by nearly a couple miles. DARPA is hoping to merge the technology into heads up displays or possibly binoculars within the future. Once again DARPA is the invisible force equipping our soldiers with the latest technology.
Cabe