September 09, 2010
General Dynamics Itronix has developed a rugged computer designed to be worn on a soldier’s uniform. The computer uses a Google Android-based operating system to facilitate GPS and situational awareness for war fighters, the company said.
If the U.S. Army were to buy the devices, soldiers would be able to use touch screens to pinpoint their location, refer to preloaded mission plans, access secure tactical networks and view human terrain information via the online-based Tactical Ground Reporting (TIGR) system.
“We feel the combination of the government’s investments in software like TIGR, their investment in tactical radio networks, and now the opportunity to take advantage of an 8-ounce piece of hardware that ties all that together will lead to game-changing capabilities for war fighters on the ground,” said Richard Coupland, General Dynamics Intronix’s director of science, technology and products.
The computer, which weighs less than 8 ounces and meets military specifications for ruggedness, can be worn on the arm or chest. The GD300 has the capability to operate in two distinct modes — as a stand-alone GPS device or as a tactical mission computer when accessing a secure tactical radio network, enabling war fighters to securely communicate while on the move.
The Android-based operating system, whose code is open to application designers, can accommodate emerging applications for war fighters at all command levels, Itronix said. “The open architecture allows for any number of apps to be developed by the government or third party, giving that flexibility for the government long term to make decisions on capabilities or software without changing the hardware,” Coupland said..
The GD300 can support commercial applications or military apps such as TIGR, a Web-based information management application developed through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency with General Dynamics as the prime contractor, according to Coupland. The Army is converting TIGR from an inside-the-command-post application on the SIPRNet to an Android-based application for users outside the wire, he said.
“For that reason, the TIGR application is a very complementary element to the GD300. The GD300 helps TIGR get outside the wire, and TIGR helps the GD300 provide value to the soldiers,” he said.
The GD300 operates for up to eight hours, powered by standard lithium-ion batteries, and uses a quadra-helix antenna for real-time global positioning that is effective even in mountainous regions or urban environments, the company said. The computer’s ergonomic design was developed with input from wearable-computer users from the military, government and emergency first responders. The 3.5-inch touch screen is readable in sunlight, can be operated with a gloved finger, and allows soldiers to move information, zoom in or out and place digital “markers” on tactical maps.
— Kristin Quinn
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