The Use Of Tactical Augmented Reality In The US Army

As of current, the US Army has been making use of bulky equipment in order to check the locations of enemies and teammates during their combat time. The problem with this type of equipment is that it may slow the soldiers down, making them more susceptible to possible enemy attacks. That is why the US Army has started making use of technology known as Tactical Augmented Reality or TAR, in order to cover these weaknesses.

Now, TAR was first created by the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Commands Communications Electronics Research Development and Engineering Center. It was a state of the art invention that would help sharpen the senses of the soldier in battle. In fact, it was made to replace all the location tools previously used by the US Army.

As mentioned above, the TAR is a lightweight piece of equipment that eliminates the need to carry so many things. In fact, it carries various functions in just one set of machines that do not even need cables to connect. One of the main features would be the extremely comprehensive GPS system which would allow a clear view of where the soldiers are.

Another cool function that the TAR system has would be a night fighting system complete with the comprehensive GPS and a pair of night vision goggles that will allow the soldiers to somehow see the terrain even at night. As night fighting is really hard because it impairs vision, being able to see in the dark would definitely give one an edge over the enemy. This is especially useful for those who want to locate the enemy while they are hiding.

Of course, the GPS is probably one of the main advantages of this system. Currently, soldiers have to use a hand held device to locate their hereabouts through the GPS. However, the new TAR system is a whole hands free system wherein everything, including the GPS, is already integrated inside the headset, allowing the soldier to geo register their location.

So one question about this device would be what it looks like because it is pretty hard to imagine its design. Well, it is basically a headset and eyepiece that is wirelessly connected to a tablet. It is also wirelessly connected to a thermal aiming device that is connected to the rifle in order to give the coordinates through the aiming device.

Lastly, this system has the ability to share data with others that hold the same device. So if a soldier would want to send his or her location, whether visuals or coordinates to other soldiers on his or her team, it is possible with the TAR. That aspect aims to truly enhance the teamwork of the whole brigade.

This great invention is a revolutionary one for the US Army. In the age of technology, battlefield tactics must also be upgraded in order to better the performance of the soldiers and enable them with lighter equipment to make them more agile. With this rather new invention, it is possible to work better as a team, save up cost on those bulky equipment, move at a faster pace, and overall increase performance.