VIPMobile Wearable Computer for SOF Reconnaissance Missions

Current systems for the covert gathering of image data by SOF are limited to still images only and present cumbersome usability problems, including numerous swapping of memory cards between cameras and computers, insertion of the data controller card, andthe need to use several programs in a standard general purpose user interface. Collection and transmission of video is currently not possible at all. The VIPMobile Wearable Computer (VWC) provides video capability with compression speeds that exceedcommercial MPEG-2 encoders and achieves four times the compression ratio, with substantial power savings, in hardware. The VWC provides a custom user interface tailored to the specific tasks of simultaneously collecting and transmitting image data overmilitary radios. Additionally, the VWC negates the need to swap cards, and interfaces cleanly via simple cables to a variety of digital still cameras and analog and digital video cameras. Audio collection and user annotation by audio are provided. The VWCis a small wearable computer based on the Linux OS with integrated display and control, and a secondary haptic/tactile control system operable in complete darkness. The VWC provides robust future extensibility via industry standard I/O such as USB andFirewire for future sensors including chemical and biological detection and SOF life support monitoring. Antipated benefits include a substantial increase in legacy radio capabilities by providing state-of-the-art 3D wavelet image and video compressiontechnologies through a user-friendly compact wearable computer customized for military personnel, first responders (firefighters, medics, and police), and configurable for reconnaissance and combat unmanned sea/air/land vehicles. Potential commercialapplications include sensor networks, surveillance cameras, hard disk recorders, peacekeeping missions, and compression cards for video phones.