WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio – U.S. Air Force vision safety experts needed protective eyewear for the flight crews of nuclear-capable aircraft to protect their eyes from the intense flash of nuclear explosions. They found a solution from Intellisense Systems Inc. in Torrance, Calif.
Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Combat Readiness Human Systems Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, announced a $7.7 million contract to Intellisense last month for Next-Generation Nuclear Flash Blindness Protection (NGNFBP) systems.
This contract involves engineering and manufacturing development, and low-rate initial production of NGNFBP systems. Intellisense engineers are focusing on improved sensor speed, integration with aircraft systems, and a move to initial production.
This contract provides for ensuring aircrews can carry out their missions safely and effectively amid nuclear explosions by replacing EEU-2A/P and protecting against flash blindness and retinal burn. EEU-2A/P is an advanced version of the lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) anti-flash blindness goggles used by bomber crews of the B-52, B-1, FB-111, and other nuclear-capable aircraft.
Nuclear flash protection
Intellisense is developing next-generation nuclear flash blindness protection for military aircrew and personnel, building on technologies such as advanced auto-darkening goggles and sensor-driven systems to detect the intense light pulse of a nuclear detonation and rapidly darken protective eyewear to prevent flash blindness for pilots and aircrew.
Intellisense’s nuclear flash blindness protection systems involve integrating sensors capable of ultra-fast detection of nuclear events that trigger auto-darkening within milliseconds, which is much faster than human reflexes allow.
The company's NGNFBP research involves multi-sensor fusion, infrared imaging, deep-learning algorithms, and augmented intelligence to enable decision-making and increased reliability in intense battlefield environments. These systems are to provide eye protection without interfering with critical mission tasks.
Tell me more about how lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) goggles work ...
- PLZT goggles use the electro-optic effect of the PLZT ceramic material to control the amount of light that passes through them. These goggles protect eyes from sudden flashes or intense light, such as from lasers or nuclear blasts. PLZT is a transparent ceramic with transparency that changes in response to an electric field. By applying a voltage, the material can switch from transparent to opaque or darkened. When a voltage is applied, the PLZT changes its optical properties instantly. When the sensor detects a sudden bright light, it sends a signal to the PLZT lens.
PLZT goggles have been the standard for nuclear flash eye protection. This material instantly goes black within microseconds via electric charge upon detecting a nuclear flash to block harmful light and preserve pilot vision.
Intellisense is seeking to enhance existing PLZT technologies and explore new sensor designs like neuromorphic vision chips and multi-spectral detection to improve responsiveness and reduce false positives.
Intellisense will take-on manufacturing liquid crystals cells and lenses with optical performance capable of a switching time from the triggering flash and the lens of 150 microseconds or less.
150-microsecond speed
This project includes research, test, and evaluation of aircrew equipment that balances nuclear flash eye protection, mission compatibility, and flight safety. These devices will use modern technology for faster and darker switching following a nuclear event, and should be faster and darker than most commercial-off-the-shelf solutions.
These devices should have a curved design that accommodates prescription eyeglasses, and compatible with the AN/AVS-9 helmet-mounted night-vision display and color helmet mounted display.
The goggles will be suitable for nuclear-capable aircraft, and should be usable during the day and at night. Goggles must be compatible with aircrew flight equipment, and enable the wearer to see the correct shape ad colors of cockpit displays, lights, phosphors, exterior aircraft lights, and airfield lights.
On this contract Intellisense will do the work in Torrance, Calif., and should be finished by March 2027. For more information contact Intellisense Systems online at www.intellisenseinc.com, or the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at https://www.aflcmc.af.mil/.
