Army test Triton variable light transmission eyewear

CHELMSFORD, Mass., 29 Sept. 2007. Triton Systems Inc. (Triton) has received an order for 50 variable transmission (VT) goggles from the U.S. Army Infantry Combat Equipment branch at Ft. Belvoir, Va. The Army will test and evaluate the goggles as part of an effort to provide better vision equipment for U.S. soldiers in the battlefield. The goggles were initially developed under grants from the Army Night Vision Laboratory and the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

Triton's VT technology is based on electrochromics, which changes light transmission when a small voltage is applied. The technology enables automatically darkens or lightens the goggle lenses when moving from a well-lit environment, such as a street in mid-day sun, to a dark building, and back out to the street. This key benefit allows warfighters to maintain eye protection without the need to change or remove the protective lenses when entering darkened areas.

Several unique features of Triton's VT technology include its use of flexible thin films, very low power consumption, a long lifespan, and wide temperature use. The prototype design features a thin electrochromic insert placed inside the primary ballistic lens of a military goggle. The electrochromic insert is fabricated using flexible, optical-grade plastic and does not affect the design of the original goggle.