WALTHAM, Mass., 13 Dec. 2012. New wearable computer technology is enabling pilots to peer through dust storms and see through the floor of their aircraft, says a Raytheon spokesperson.
A new wearable communications system from Raytheon puts maps and video on pilots’ wrists.
“We are moving into an unprecedented period of cutting-edge pilot capabilities,” explains Todd Lovell, a Raytheon engineer and former V-22 Osprey pilot. “We’re using not only sight but also hearing to help pilots process all the information coming into the cockpit.”
| Related info -- Avionics Europe 2013, in Munich on 20 and 21 Feb. 2013, will feature an interactive panel discussion on cockpit display technologies. |
All of the key visual data an aviator needs can be presented in a heads-up manner through a monocle positioned just in front of the pilot’s eye.
The technology allows pilots to hear where hostile fire is coming from through 3D audio in their helmets. A sophisticated system of sensors outside the aircraft provides spherical vision in degraded visual environments, from dust storms to the black of a moonless night.
“It’s like flying in a glass ball,” says Trevor Bushell, business development manager for Raytheon’s Advanced Distributed Aperture System.
Breakthroughs include:
The modular Advanced Distributed Aperture System (ADAS) delivers expanded, high-resolution infrared and near-infrared imagery to the pilot and crew. The system allows pilots to see through the walls and floor of the aircraft, a potential life-saver when landing a helicopter in a dust cloud or in darkness.
The Raytheon Center Display Unit, which allows militaries to replace the analog instruments in their F-16s and helicopters with a new, flat-screen digital display. The richer data stream can then be sent directly to the pilot’s helmet.
The Aviation Warrior wearable computer comes with a wrist-mounted screen, allowing pilots to see radar images, surveillance video, and maps even when on the ground. They also can communicate with a built-in radio or by text.
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