Defense contractor Raytheon has made a wearable military computer called Aviation Warrior. This wearable military tablet PC, Aviation Warrior, comes with a wrist-mounted screen, allowing pilots to see radar images, surveillance video and maps even on the ground. They can communicate with a built-in radio or by text. It is being specially made for the US Army. The US Army will use Android and Windows based systems during missions in future.
Defense contractor Raytheon has won a $4.7 million contract from the US Government to develop the new wrist-mounted touchscreen computer named Aviation Warrior. The tablet will help helicopter pilots maintain “situational awareness” both inside and outside the cockpit. The Aviation Warrior includes a helmet equipped with a flip-down viewing monocle and taps into the cockpit’s digital display. Aviation Warrior will provide information on targets and fellow pilots in a similar way to a heads-up display, offering a quick replacement if the helicopter crashes or if the pilot needs to continue their mission on foot.
The computer is part of the proposed Air Soldier System by US Army. In fact, the wearable tablet computer is a comprehensive set of tools and equipment for helicopter pilots. The company is going to unveil the wearable technology at the Farnborough International Air Show on Monday.
Keith Strubhar, director of communications for Raytheon’s technical services branch, said, “Situational awareness is what pilots can see, feel and hear while they are in the cockpits. With the military moving toward smaller deployments and non-traditional missions that require pilots to leave their aircrafts, it’s become even more important to make sure soldiers have access to information at all times.”
The company Raytheon has already outfitted older planes with a digital center display unit and replaced the analog dials of the past. The new portable computing device and display are quarter-inch thick and about the size of an old-model BlackBerry phone, while the display module features a screen about the size of an Android phone. The portable device runs on Window 7. For more, head over to Raytheon.
Source : Raytheon, Aviation Warrior (YouTube)
Thanks To : CNET, The Verge
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Yes, let’s add yet another gadget. That will solve everything. Who needs digital displays, or moving maps on the instrument panel, where it would be easy to monitor. Let’s mount it on the left wrist, which should be holding, or guarding the collective while in flight. Task saturation anyone? How about we focus on the basics, flying, managing, navigating, map reading, and communicating. Skills that are degrading as the Army draws down in numbers, replacing experienced, competent aviators with newbies and minimal training opportunities.