Synthetic Vision System for Ground Forces

Delivering contextual data via an Augmented Reality (AR) wearable shows promise in accelerating tactical decision making while enhancing situational awareness for dismounted soldiers in call-for-fire scenarios. The military can leverage commercialized industrial solutions like the DAQRI Smart Helmet (DSH), an AR platform that provides a transparent optical display with state-of-the-art performance specifications in a comfortable, durable, user-friendly form factor operational in full daylight. The DSH can be cost-effectively upgraded to provide USMC Ground Forces with an advanced tool for enhancing decision making and situational awareness. Our proposed DAQRI Augmented Reality Situational Awareness and Decision Support Synthetic Vision System (DARSADS SVS) combines the existing DAQRI AR platform (DSH) with Lockheeds current Wide Area Augmented Reality (WAAR) project which integrates with target designation system KILSWITCH, enabling a seamless transition from training to battlefield operations.DARSADS SVS provides a foundation for prototyping information visualizations informed by experimentally validated cognitive models such as Salience, Effort (inhibition), Expectancy, Value (SEEV) capable of predicting attention tunneling. Our tactical, real-time AR decision support will incorporate the lessons learned from decades of aviation HUD design research to mitigate attention and perception limitations thanks to our collaboration with the premier expert in the field, Dr. Chris Wickens.