[Nettime-bold] Outfitting the High-Tech Soldier

[John Armitage <john.armitage@unn.ac.uk>]

Outfitting the High-Tech Soldier 
To see more on this story, go to http://www.ABCNews.go.com 

ABCNews.com 

March 17, 2002 

The American soldier of the future may resemble something out of Star Wars.
Their high-tech uniforms will be fitted with everything from navigation and
water purifying systems to climate control. 

The combat gear under development at the Department of Defense relies on new
technology to suit up future soldiers for battle in rough terrain and
hostile environments, said Bill Machrone, the vice president of technology
for PC magazine. It will also improve their chances of making it home alive,
regardless of the conditions. 

"Most of the stuff that the Army has today is to fight in open fields and
forest; but we expect more warfare in bad terrain, like in the mountains or
even on urban streets, and this is suited for that," Machrone told Good
Morning America . "It's a great advancement in survivability." 

A uniform known as the "Objective Force Warrior" may be fully developed
within a decade. It is an "all-seasons" waterproof suit that adjusts to the
soldier's internal body temperature, eliminating the need to change
clothing. 

"He can actually go from Arctic cold to desert heat and back again,"
Machrone said. 

The uniform will be reasonably lightweight -- even with its built in water
purifying system. 

"You can actually pour dirty ground water, even sweat or urine into this
system," he said. "It will purify it and rehydrate the soldier," he said. 

The computerized portion of the suit includes a tiny screen on the front of
the helmet with real-time information on its flip-down display. 

Heat Seeking Battle Garb 

Another futuristic uniform, know as the "Land Warrior," resembles a space
suit and features a built-in infrared sensor wired to the soldier's weapon
that detects body heat in the dark. Although the military has used body heat
sensors before, said Machrone, the sensors have not been part of an
integrated system. 

In the past, soldiers had to rely on printed maps with information that is
at least several hours old at the time they set out on a mission. But with
the Land Warrior suit, each soldier can get up-to-the-minute information via
a helmet-mounted Global Positioning System (GPS), a small wireless voice and
data communication system, and a wearable computer linked to an intra-squad
wireless LAN (local area network). 

A flip-down display on the helmet allows the soldier to scan the
surroundings in the darkness, using thermal and night-vision sensors
connected to his weapon. This display also gives gives each soldier a view
of a situation map that can pinpoint where both friends and foe are located,
in real time. With that knowledge, the soldier can better figure out how to
hone in on the enemy. 

"If he's on a battlefield, he can call in fire, just like sending in an
e-mail," Machrone said. "He'll specify the kind of attack. It's sent, it
happens, and just that easily, he's in touch with his commanders." 

The thermal imaging sensor on the top of the rifle allows a soldier to fire
without exposing himself to enemy fire because the sensor, which detects
heat, eliminates the need to actually look through the rifle's scope. It
works in the dark or the daylight. 

"He could be behind the wall, firing around the corner in the dark, in bad
conditions," Machrone said. "His thermal scope will target, and he can fire
accurately." 

The suit relies on lithium batteries and carbon fiber to power the
computerized equipment, and uniform designers have shaved the weight of the
uniform down from 90 to about 50 pounds. 

The communication portion of the gear is made in such a way that the
technology behind it would be shrouded, should it fall into enemy hands. 

Uniforms like this might be used in battle soon -- probably first by Special
Ops forces, Machrone said. The whole system is scheduled to go into mass
production later this year. 

Warriors of the 2025 

The next generation of warriors may be able to literally blend in with their
surroundings. Scientists are studying animals to develop technology that
could be used for chameleon-like battle wear that changes color depending on
its surroundings. 

"The technology is advanced to where the surface of suit is a chameleon,"
Machrone said. "If a soldier is leaning against a marble wall, the suit
changes coloration to that, or if a soldier is lying on a black tarmac, it
changes to that." 

The uniforms of 2025 are also expected to draw on advanced biometrics
technology and be able to monitor the wearer's heart rate and perspiration,
then pass that information on to commanders and medics. With real-time
information on their troops' physical condition, commanders should be able
to improve the soldiers' chance of survival. 

And if a soldier is wounded, the "smart suit" would serves as a high-tech
medic, applying pressure to the wound in the proper area. 

In 2025, soldiers will likely maintain their global positioning screens.
Machrone predict that they will also be firing "smart weapons," with bullets
that can actually direct themselves toward a target that is emanating body
heat. 

"They can actually steer themselves, based on a thermal target," Machrone
said. "It will actually be like the cartoon bullets." 

Eating on the Run 

Perhaps the most striking scenario for future soldiers is a development that
could eliminate their need to eat or rest: the food patch. It works much
like the nicotine patch used by smokers trying to quit. 

"Sustenance patches applied to the body will release the necessary
nutrients," Machrone said. "Not a seven-course meal, but enough to keep you
going." 

Soldiers would be fed, kept awake, and would be capable of surviving in even
the most arduous conditions. But the patches would only be used on a
temporary basis. 

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