The%20Evolution%20of%20Army%20Wearable%20Computers

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The Evolution of ArmyWearable Computers

• Matthew J. Zieniewicz Douglas C. Johnson
• Douglas C. Wong and John D. Flatt
• Research, Development, and Engineering Center, US
  Army Communications Electronic Command

Gene-Ming Shih, 04/23/2003
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Outline

• Early beginnings The Soldier's Computer
• SIPE project
• Functionality and requirements
• The next phase
• Key design factors
• The JCF AWE(0.6 -gt 1.0)
• Major subsystems and components
• Conclusion

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Early beginnings The Soldier's Computer

• James Schoening, Matt Zieniewicz 1989, John
  Flatt, Sal Barone, and Almon Gillette, 1990
• Schoeningsmall wearable computer, integrated
  with a wireless link and helmet-mounted display
  (HMD)
• Matt Zieniewiczwireless data transmission, image
  capture, integrated Global Positioning System
  (GPS) receivers, and menudriven software

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Army Material Command's first trade show

• Agilis bricktype 386-based computer
• softwarecreating reports, displaying battlefield
  situation maps
• ruggedized helmet-mounted quasi-VGA display
• virtual 14-inch monochromatic display
• used a trackball for input
• could enter and transmit simple reports to other
  units
• Natick Soldier Center
• SIPE Advanced-Technology Demonstration

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SIPE project

• spring of 1990, led by Carol Fitzgerald
• new digitized battlefield concept
• portable, wearable battery-powered computer
• computer needed to include
• image capture, an integrated radio, and a
  portable display unit

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Functionality and requirements

• bring computing devices to the individual soldier
• none of the functions were commercially available
• challengeintegrate these piecemeal components
  into a lightweight package

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• The new system aimed to digitize basic
  battlefield operations to help soldiers
• Read maps, navigate, and maintain situation
  awareness
• Receive, prepare, and send written field reports
• Capture and transmit color still images for
  reconnaissance purposes
• Access battlefield operations reference material
• Software applicationDeveloped in C

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System architecture

• key hardware components
• computer processor with memory
• a GPS receiver
• a data radio
• a video capture system
• a digital compass
• a miniature color camera
• a video controller subsystem
• an HMD
• a power supply subsystem
• wiring harnesses
• and packaging

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Networking configuration

• FM packet radio-an increased range
• fixed-gateway base station
• Packet modecompensated
• data transmissioncomputer ? gateway ? server ?
  gateway ? appropriate computer
• multihop lag

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Feedback from soldiers

• digitizing" the individual soldier
• bore-sighted Thermal Weapon Sight (TWS)
• operate longer on a set of batteries
• computer-radio-GPS18 pounds
• HMD into helmetnearly 8 pounds
• CRT display15 pounds
• Drawbackdelay in capturing and sending a still
  video image

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The next phase

• Twenty-First Century Land Warrior project
• Task Force XXI, mid 1990
• development of Land Warrior, 1993
• C4ISR
• Land Warrior had to be
• lighter, smaller, lowerpowered, more rugged,
  easy to use, weigh almost nothing, work all day,
  and be comfortably placed and conveniently located

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Developing system requirements

• Operational Requirements Document(ORD)
• DrawbackThe year-long process involved numerous
  meetings with both users and technical experts,
  who reviewed, in detail, the requirements'
  feasibility and applicability.
• Next phasematerial development
• PM developed a performance-based system
  specification, stating what the system should do
  but not how it should do it

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Key design factors

• technical architectureopen, modular, and
  flexible
• could operate in their environment, including
  under water, and at extreme temperatures
• system had tominimize audible, radio frequency,
  infrared, and visible emissions

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The JCF AWE

• 82nd Airborne Division against conventionally
  equipped opposing force

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The JCF AWE (cont.)

• Soldiers equipped with the Land Warrior,Version
  0.6 participated in three missions

1.To parachute onto and secure an airfield at
night. After reattaching their HMDs and headsets
and turning on the system, the soldiers could see
their own location, where they were headed, and
the location of their fellow troops overlaid on
the assembly area map. Wireless voice and message
communication, previously not available to all
soldiers, proved beneficial, and everyone reached
the assembly area in record time. 2.An assault on
a village with several buildings (to simulate
urban terrain) and enemy soldiers. The Land
Warrior system automatically transmitted
position reports for eight leaders in the
platoon to higher-echelon software systems. 3.A
night ambush.
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The JCF AWE (cont.)

• PM Soldier learned numerous lessons
• different power sources,
• fewer cables with less exposure,
• improved reliability and ruggedness,
• reduction in electromagnetic interference
• Land Warrior, Version 1.0(Land Warrior Initial
  Capability)

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Design rationale

• leveraging commercial components
• battery problemsUSB SMBus(System Management Bus)
• color SVGA displaysix to nine inches diagonal ?
  touchscreen display
• Mission Data Support Equipment
• laptop computer and
• USB-to-Ethernet adapters
• softwareMission Data package

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Major subsystems and components

• computer subsystem
• helmet subsystem
• control and communications subsystem
• weapons subsystem
• navigation system

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computer subsystem

• runs Windows
• weighs1.79 pounds
• consists of the computer assemblyflash memory,
  and video board
• Boxsingle external connector for power, USB, and
  IEEE 1394
• FireWire connections

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helmet subsystem

• consists of the HMD, hearing devices, and
  microphone devices
• HMDan 800600-pixel full-color display using an
  organic light-emitting
• diode display
• view his or her location, other
• friendly locations, and his or her
• direction of travel (heading).

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control and communications subsystem

• control unitlets soldiers manipulate system
  configurations and generate and send tactical
  messages
• communications subsystemtransmits voice and data
  so that soldiers can communicate in their squad
• meshforwards packets to soldiers in multiple
  hops enhances the system's range
• AN/PRC-148 multiband inter/intra
• team radio

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weapons subsystem (WSS)

• mounted Daylight Video Sight and TWS for sighting
• soldier can mount currently issued aiming lights,
  an infrared pointer, or a multifunctional laser
• laser range finder and digital compass
• A peg grip on the weapon's stocklet soldiers
  make calls, transition between sighting systems,
  capture images, and locate targets without
  removing a hand from the weapon.

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navigation system

• GPS receiver
• magnetic compass heading sensor
• dead reckoning module

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• full Land Warrior system includes
• electronics, other items that constitute the
  soldier's combat load, including clothing, armor,
  weapons, and ammunition
• For more informationhttps//www.pmsoldiersystems.
  Army.mil/public/default.asp

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A timeline of Army wearable computer systems

• around the soldier's equipment ? with the
  soldier's equipment ? within the soldier's
  equipment
• all-in-one wearable system ? all-for-one system
  that a soldier wears to fight (embedded in an
  integrated combat uniform)

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exploring advances

• wearable computing devices/the use of handheld
  devices
• can run on small portable-computing platforms
• augmented reality (AR)
• location-aware handheld computinglong-range
  communications
• hands free