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A major improvement to the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), a military version of the HoloLens 2 system, is outlined. The IVAS is a 3D head display unit worn by the Soldier, which provides tactical mixed reality to improve situational awareness for soldiers in combat.

A key requirement of the IVAS is the ability to map the surroundings. The Kinect depth sensor (on board the HoloLens 2) has a range of up to 3.5 meters, works indoors and has a spatial resolution of 6-30 mm.

There are a few limitations of the Kinect Sensor for military applications. First, the Kinect infrared sensor does not work well in daylight and Soldiers and Marines clearly need to do daytime missions. Second, the range of 3.5 meters, while acceptable for applications in a single small room, is simply not adequate for the Soldier. For example, US military snipers typically operate at a range of 600 to 1200 meters. The Kinect sensor’s 6 mm accuracy will not provide sufficient details to characterize small items, such as an unknown object held in a suspect’s hand.

Fortunately, each of these limitations faced by the current IVAS system can be overcome. In US Patent 11,006,100 titled “Smart Glasses System”, the innovative solution uses a headset-based LIDAR sensor system. This patented system provides capabilities for (1) daylight operations, (2) long range mapping at distances of 1000+ meters and extremely high resolution spatial map of up to 1 mm accuracy. “As a former Army ranger with two combat tours, I can say with absolute confidence that this will improve situational awareness and increase Soldier lethality.”, said Dr. Douglas.

If the IVAS is upgraded with headset-based LIDAR system, then Soldiers and Marines will gain significant overmatch against their enemies. Unlike the Kinect sensor, the headset-based LIDAR system works in the brightest of days and the darkest of nights. The patented solution provides wide angle, long range, and high-spatial resolution scene mapping, which is essential for identification and characterization of potential threats. Overall, these features are critical to helping the IVAS program achieve its goal of enabling the Soldier and Marine enhanced situational awareness of their surroundings as an operation progresses.

TPMI, LLC would welcome the opportunity to assist US Army’s Program Executive Office Soldier in any way possible including integration of this technological advancement into the IVAS.

About the author:

Dr. Robert Douglas is a West Point graduate who: fought as an Infantryman in Vietnam with US units and a Vietnam recon company; worked in a combat development agency; studied nuclear war in the Joint Chiefs of Staff; patrolled in the desert for the UN in the Middle East with Russian war planners; and developed a system to assist Air Force space exercises. After leaving the service he spent three decades in the defense industry rising from manager to vice president working programs ranging from sensors and missiles for the Air Force aircraft, to Army helicopters and combat vehicles, and to Soldier’s night vision goggles and helmets sights.

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