You are a soldier. It is night, only the moon and stars illuminate your path. Something rustles in the shrubbery nearby. Your squad leader starts motioning a hand signal, and your eyes divert to see the command. At that moment you are ambushed from the shrub line. Distraction and night time movement is an everyday problem for soldiers in the field. The Army Research Office (ARO) in North Carolina thinks that removing visual interruption is the solution.
Elmar Schmeisser has been leading a group of researchers at the ARO over the past few years and came up with the a belt that relays all the information they need. The best contains 8 vibrating motors, called "tactors" that signify "the eight cardinal directions," according to fellow researcher Linda Elliot. The motors vibrate at 250 hertz, giving a noticeable but non distracting "buzz" at regular times indicating which direction the soldier needs to travel. The belt also contains accelerometers and GPS units. This allows the belt to still give proper directional information no matter what position the user is in, even prone. Pulsing all of the tactors signifies "halt," and back to front pulses relay a "move out" command.
Commands are sent from a home base, but Scmeisser's team is also working on a glove that can be worn to indicate commands in the field. Company AnthroTronix is building the prototype, integrating accelerometers into the glove. See their site for gloves already being used.
Speaking of field testing results, Elliot said, "We compared the performance with a handheld Garmin GPS and a traditional map and compass. Based on navigation time, errors en route and targets detected, the belt not only performed as well but the consensus among soldiers was that they loved it, because they didn't need to put down their weapon or take their eyes off their surroundings. As one soldier put it; 'It is hands and thought-free.' "
Eavesdropper
