Handheld Apps for Warfighters

Military personnel often operate within urban, cavernous, foliage covered or indoor environments. In these areas, position navigation and time information becomes difficult and in some cases impossible to deduce from GPS signals alone. Under the proposed effort TRX will develop and implement an Android-based application that delivers GPS-denied navigation and mapping for tactical battlefield use. The TRX application will be run on standard Android platforms (e.g., Nexus One) and will be delivered in two forms: 1) standalone handheld application delivering GPS-denied navigation using only embedded cellular device sensors, 2) handheld application using both embedded cellular sensors and sensors in a dedicated soldier-worn tracking unit. The application will deliver GPS-denied positioning information on the handheld, provide a handheld GUI that will show personnel their 3D location, and will make 3D maps of the areas dismounted soldiers traverse. Both cellular and tactical radio networks may be used to deliver location information to optional server and web-based command station applications. The command station application will, when available, deliver situational awareness for a commanding officer (including delivery of personnel status such as crawling, motionless, etc.) and have the potential to increase navigation accuracy and situational awareness through team-wide information sharing.