What do the Internet, GPS, Microwave ovens, night visions, and drones all have in common? They were all developed for military applications many years before arriving in the consumer market.
Near-to-eye display technology has taken the same familiar path. Long before the conversation around consumer AR glasses began, military forces worldwide were already investing in near-eye transparent display technology to enhance the capabilities of soldiers, pilots, and other personnel.
Lumus recently passed its 15-year anniversary of working within the defense industry. More than 15 years ago, Lumus partnered with Thales to develop an air combat solution, which resulted in a highly effective HMD system.
In 2009, we began shipping our PD-14 monocular optical engines to Thales Avionics, where they were integrated into their Scorpion Helmet Mounted Cueing System. The collaboration and resulting product continue to be a success.
The Thales Scorpion Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) uses advanced hybrid inertial optical tracking technology to enhance pilots’ vision in real-time. This system provides full-color symbology and zero-perceived latency, improving situational awareness and target acquisition. It is compatible with both day and night operations, including use with standard Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). The Scorpion HMD is modular and can be easily integrated into various aircraft platforms.
The military product powered with Lumus geometric waveguide technology disrupted the military avionics space with our reflective (geometric) waveguide-based optics for several reasons:
- First waveguide technology used by fighter pilots (A-10 and F-18 aircraft platforms)
- The first use of full color in HMD for defense avionics devices.
- Though not built originally for military spec, it passed all certifications and inspections for the avionic market.
The most recent version of this original product is still shipping to our satisfied customer. This validation means a lot to our team and demonstrates our technology is battle-tested and rugged enough for the challenging conditions common for air combat missions.
Augmented reality is increasingly becoming an important tool in the battlefield, both in the air and on the ground. From foot soldiers to tank and Humvee drivers, the overlay of digital information on reality is critical to identify the location and make the distinction between ‘good’ soldiers and the enemy.
Using this technology to display the location of the enemy can bring a new level of accuracy to the battle, especially in areas that contain a dangerous mixture of soldiers and civilians. This is one glaringly obvious example of how augmented reality will be used in the future battlefield. (Identifying civilians on the battlefield is perhaps one of the most common difficulties that handicap armies around the world today.)
If your company has an interest in learning more about Lumus near-to-eye display technology for military or defense applications, please contact info@lumus-optical.com