Honeywell unveils 360-degree display military drivers can wear

WASHINGTON — Defense firm Honeywell on Monday unveiled a new head-mounted display it said will provide a 360-degree view around military vehicles and allow the drivers to see better in hazardous conditions that lower visibility.

The Honeywell 360 Display, introduced at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual convention in Washington, uses a series of exterior cameras mounted on a vehicle, such as a Humvee, as well as sensors to give the driver a high-resolution picture of what is going on around the vehicle.

This will reduce the driver’s need to check fixed displays or other instruments within the vehicle, and allow the individual to focus more on the task at hand, Honeywell said. An image released by the company shows a service member wearing the display mounted on his helmet, with small translucent screens in front of his eyes.

Honeywell said it plans to keep developing this technology and hopes to create a version that pilots can use on an aircraft as essentially a wearable heads-up display.

“The advanced situational awareness the Honeywell 360 Display provides helps enable the battlefield of the future, providing operators and pilots with real-time data to improve their reaction time and to make timely, well-informed decisions when needed most,” Ricky Freeman, the defense and space president for Honeywell Aerospace, said in a statement. “This focus on innovation and user experience reflects our commitment to modernize defense capabilities and improve the safety of the men and women who use this equipment.”

The system can pull information on factors such as terrain, traffic and weather from several databases, and include it in the driver’s stereoscopic, mixed-reality display, Honeywell said.

Honeywell said it tested this display while driving in rough terrain, and that it was designed to be lightweight and comfortably used for extended periods. The company also said its tests showed it doesn’t cause nausea, which can sometimes occur among users of head-mounted displays.

More In AUSA

Pentagon technology hub sees lower transition rate, higher value deals

In its annual report, DIU said that while transitions dropped last year, the organization also facilitated its largest follow-on contract to date.

Northrop’s colossal Manta Ray underwater drone passes at-sea tests

“I think it is striking in its size and scale, even for those folks that have been there throughout the design process.”

Hensoldt UK to build radar tech for Britain’s new naval supply ships

The Royal Navy's future Fleet Solid Support ships will be equipped with a line of sensors designed to provide situational awareness in crowded waters.

Ukraine comms struggles spur European hunger for L3Harris radios

Reliable, low-profile means of relaying battlefield information have become a linchpin for fighting in Eastern Europe.

Japan hastens pursuit of unmanned ground vehicles for its military

Foreign vendors are so far dominating Tokyo's lineup of trial robots, as the government tries to catch up on the use of unmanned systems.