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HP iPod not as heroic as previously believed
This certainly won't go down as the first (or last) time that a shocking photograph and antsy storytellers blow an event out of proportion, but the HP iPod that reportedly saved the life of Kevin Garrad of the 3rd Infantry Division was actually nothing more than a battle scar. Kevin's body armor is actually the unsung hero, as he didn't even know he was shot until he fished around for his Pod and found a mangled piece of white / chrome kit instead. He did mention that he missed having his tunes on tap for the battlefield rituals, and certainly didn't mind it lessening the blow of a bullet to his armor, but it looks like Apple (or should that be HP?) will have to remove this now-nullified crowning achievement from the trophy case.[Via The Raw Feed]
Joint Forces Command trialing hybrid GPS technology
Taking geo-location services to a level beyond what vanilla GPS can provide has been looked at a time or two before, and apparently, the Joint Forces Command is hoping to implement a similar system on the battlefield. In a partnership with L-3 Communications, the JFC hopes to "develop a hybrid tracking system using various navigation sensors and radio waves that could be used when GPS isn't available, such as inside buildings or underground in tunnels or caves." The objectives are twofold, as it hopes to assist "field commanders keep track of individual troops as they carry out missions," and moreover, to give soldiers the ability to accurately and consistently track their own in order to keep "friendly fire deaths" from occurring. If all goes as planned, several prototypes will be loosed on the Marine Corps by May of next year, and if this here technology adds a dash of omnipresence to the men and women in uniform, it could be deployed en masse shortly thereafter. [Via DefenseTech]
US Army trials hybrid vehicle, sports night vision / remote weaponry
This certainly doesn't mark the first case in which the US Army has fiddled with hybrid vehicles, but the Maneuver Sustainment Vehicle (MSV) that the military is currently testing out most definitely ups the ante in other areas. The diesel-electric hybrid truck touts an insanely rugged frame designed to "sustain the concussion of a roadside bomb," and after it brushes off that weak attempt to render it immobile, the remote weapons system should inflict a fair amount of vengeance on the enemy. Moreover, the highly-spec'd machines also feature night vision capabilities, touchscreen controls, swarms of video cameras, and ballistic-grade glass to boot. Unfortunately, the limited fleet of MSVs are currently being recognized as "concept vehicles" to be used for demonstration purposes alone, but we're sure there's a number of defense contractors that could piece together a slightly less vicious version for your own garage if you've got the loot to back it up.
UK scientists testing air-conditioned vests for military use
Air-conditioned vests have certainly graced the bodies of armed men and women before, but an elusive new breed is being tested in the multi-million dollar Spinnaker Building at the University of Portsmouth to ensure that it'll keep soldiers cool from the brutal conditions in Iraq. Scientists at the school weren't at will to disclose all the nitty gritty details about the classified gear, but we do know that these bad boys utilize "a combination of air, liquid, and new applications of old technologies such as converting paraffin wax into liquid in chambers within the vests to absorb heat from the body." The gist of the testing is to create a suit that actually improves one's ability to make sound judgments while in the field and under extreme conditions, and it was also mentioned that a mysterious US defense contractor is hoping to tweak these and have 'em out "within one to two years." Now, if only these things were available en masse for our poor laps, we'd really be in business.[Via Gizmag]
Zephyr's smart fabrics to gauge physiological data
Although soldiers of the future (the non-robotic variety, that is) could very well rock tactile displays on their gear, it looks like the next-generation clothing worn on the battlefield could also monitor physiological information. New Zealand firm Zephyr has developed smart textiles that are currently being shown at CeBIT, and aside from being used by the US Department of Defense to "gauge how individuals cope and react during combat situations," the garb could also be used by athletes looking to carefully measure their vitals and improve their performance. The outfit's first two offerings, a chest-worn bioharness and a shoe pod insert, are both laden with intelligent sensors that can "store and broadcast data," which could certainly become beneficial in the health, security, training, and medical markets. It's been a good run, Nike+iPod, but it looks like you've been lapped.
Pentagon plans ultrasonic curtain to muffle loud tanks
Although Macroswiss' giraffe pole could certainly lend our soldiers a hand in peeking across enemy lines, someone with a good bit of execution authority would rather we take a more direct approach to encroaching on the baddies. A Pentagon-based budget layout has revealed plans for an "ultrasonic curtain" to be constructed in a presumed attempt to "significantly" muffle vehicles and loud machinery in order to get our troops closer to foes without being noticed. While the actual construction plans aren't entirely laid out, the device will purportedly use "directed ultrasound technology to enable the capability to significantly reduce sound emissions from large scale tactical military hardware," and they hope to lower noise by "at least 30-decibels" in order to allows troops to operate in close proximity to the enemy without being detected aurally. Of course, cracking trees and unforeseen sneezes could still remain a problem, but there are already plans in place to "validate the theoretical models in laboratory settings," estimate the power required to sustain such a sound shield, and to design a finished product that can cover "a truck-sized vehicle." Sadly, it doesn't seem that this project will be integrating the invisibility cloak already discovered, so a flurry of bubble boy jokes is bound to arise. Wired]
Solid state laser sustains 67-kilowatts, approaching battlefield status
We know what you're thinking: when you've got eight-Megajoule railguns, aircraft-mounted tactical lasers, and xenon-based paralysis inducers, what good is a feeble solid state laser blaster? Presumably hoping to see a Star Wars-esque warzone in the not too distant future, a team of researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California have crafted a Solid State Heat Capacity Laser (SSHCL) that can sustain 67-kilowatts of average power in testing, besting their previous record of just 45-kilowatts. Chemically powered lasers, on the other hand, have been able to achieve megawatts of power for some time now, but the solid state variety is much less burdensome and could be used on the battlefield without a constant source of chemical fuel flanking the soldier's belt. The SSHCL is said to generate a "pulsed beam which fires 200 times a second at a wavelength of one micron," and the "magic 100-kilowatt mark" that would enable it to become a satisfactory weapon could purportedly be reached within the year. While we're down with giving our troops crates of real-world rayguns to beam down the baddies, we've got a sneaking suspicion that someone's going to put an eye out while oohing and aahing at the light show these things emit. [Via Slashdot]
US Army to arm UAVs with xenon-based paralysis inducer
While places like Australia and Raleigh might be flooding certain areas (or in the Aussie's case, the whole continent) with more energy-efficient light, the US Army is looking to counteract those uber-green intentions by busting out a 7.5-million candlepower strobe floodlight system to be used as a "non-lethal crowd-control device." The government has awards Pennsylvania-based Peak Systems a contract to fabricate a modified Maxa Beam searchlight that will be xenon-based, sport strobing capabilities, and will act as an "immobilization system /deterrent device" on large crowds. Furthermore, this behemoth of a flashlight will be flanking an unmanned aerial system, presumably to cruise over a rioting crowd (or platoon of foes) and theoretically flash bomb them until they suffer from "short-term paralysis." While the idea sounds like a logical way to slow down millions of oncoming soldiers whilst at war, what happens with those baddies come over the hill rocking welding masks or ultra-tinted Thump shades? [Via Wired]
Caption Contest: Operation Red Ring of Death
The US Army just wrapped up its first live-fire exercise for Future Combat Systems technologies and equipment in Texas last week, with 36 soldiers testing out robotics, UAVs and remote sensors -- though it looks like Bogden here wasn't quite putting in his fair share of the work.Ryan: "Is it just me, or is the Xbox Live connection hella laggy out here?" Or, "Dude, have you guys played this America's Army game?!"Evan: "Um, I'd love to keep playing UNO fellas, but I'm a little busy right now." Or, "Hey guys, anyone know how many Achievement points I get for taking out a landmine?"Paul: "Just a sec guys, they're doing the romance dance!"Thomas: "What's the command for safety off?"Chris: "Just give me a sec, Sarge... I'm playing out this scenario in GRAW to see if we live or die." Or, "Gold subscription expired... I can't connect to the drone. Can I use your Visa, sir?"Donald: "Hang on guys, we need a firmware update before we can go any further."Darren: "I admit, I feel a little bad for keeping the head-mounted displays biz lucrative."
'America's Army' grows to 8 million, actual Army increase costly
According to America's Army PR (ostensibly paid for by US tax dollars), the PC version of the popular shooter registered its 8 millionth user this past weekend. The America's Army user base now apparently spans more than 60 countries, likely owing to the fact that the "game" is freeware; the payoff is in the propagation of a positive image of the US Army throughout various parts of the world. It's no secret that the US Government developed the project as a propaganda device, but it's difficult to measure its impact on worldwide opinions, not to mention US Army recruitment success. We do know that the Army met its recruitment quotas in the two years following the game's release (in 2002).Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, a deputy chief of staff, estimates that increasing the size of the Army's active troops by 65,000 (as recommended by Defense Secretary Robert Gates), would cost $70 billion (to be budgeted between 2009 and 2013). Nearly half of that proposed increase has already been accomplished under a temporary program that will likely be made permanent. It's unclear what portion of the estimated $70 billion, if any, would be spent on future upgrades to America's Army. If US troop growth is indeed this costly, then America's Army's true strength may be in its potential to win over the minds and bodies (enlisted in the militaries of US allies) of non-US players.[Via press release]
Land Warrior gear to equip a US Army battalion
After 15 years in the making, our footsoldiers are finally getting the proper location-based gear that they need. Noah Shachtman, one of the finest experts on military technology out there, has just informed us via his blog, DefenseTech, that one Army battalion will be equipped with a bunch of wearable electronics, known collectively as the Land Warrior. The team leaders of the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry division (better known as the "Manchus", who are slated to be deployed to Iraq next year) will get the nearly 20-pound getup that includes weapon-mounted sensors, voice communications, GPS, a full-color visual interface via the monocle, and a long-range gun sight on the monocle as well. While only the team leaders will get the whole kit and caboodle for now, every soldier will get a GPS beacon, alerting the higher-ups to their sub rosa whereabouts.
US Army builds a better night scope
In news from the why-didn't-anyone-think-of-this-before department, the US Army has recently filed a patent for an improved rifle night scope that'll let soldiers keep their heads down while still being able to spot their target. Current night scopes require soldiers to raise their head above the rifle to look through it, and move their head away before shooting to avoid getting slammed by the gun's recoil. This new system simply connects the infrared night scope to a video viewfinder than can be attached to the soldier's helmet, letting them raise the rifle above their head or around a corner without sticking their neck out. No word yet on when the patent will be put into practice -- or if it already has been, for that matter -- but we're guessing that it can't come soon enough for those folks actually doing the sniping.[Via NewScientist]
Meet Zazoox, a new Internet caf gaming kiosk
You know, if you could use proper names in Scrabble, Zazoox would be a good one to play. We hadn't heard of them until today, when we read in the trade publication Kiosk Marketplace that Zazoox is a new pay-for-use game café kiosk that can play PC, Xbox and PlayStation games alike. The company behind the gaming systems, Zoox Stations, says that it's installed 300 Zazoox (Zazooxes? Zazooxi?) on US Army bases domestically and in Germany. Currently, a Zazoox comes with games that include Halo, Call of Duty 2, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06, with each setup running a 26-inch LCD display, a PX620 mini-tower loaded with a Pentium IV 2.8 GHz and 1GB of RAM -- and the best feature of all time, a "PC Reset Switch." Including its speakers and encasing, the whole thing (sans chair) weighs a hefty 300 pounds. No word on how much a Zazoox costs, or if its worth the 31 points that it would get on the Scrabble board. (And yes, we know that there's only one Z tile in Scrabble, so back off, it's ours, son.)[Via The Raw Feed]