Technological advances can enhance the soldier's fightability, survivability, and lethality in combat environments. In March 2002, Exponent was awarded a contract by the U.S. Army's Natick Soldier Center (NSC) to develop headgear (helmet) prototypes for integration with the Scorpion (neck down uniform) Program. Together with the Army Science & Technology (S&T) community and Army Research Laboratories (ARL), Exponent assembled a team of headgear manufacturers that included industry leaders in Head Mounted Displays (HMD), 3-D audio design, RF design, laser sensors, ballistic protection, and creative industrial design.

In 8 weeks, the Exponent team rapidly developed three headgear prototypes that included integrated and functional GPS antennas, soldier radio antennas, and Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES)/Intensified Charge Injection Device (ICID) sensors. Each represented different technological and human acceptance levels and all incorporated state-of-the-art technologies - body-worn electronics and headgear accoutrements to provide the soldier a technical advantage over adversaries in combat, peacekeeping, and anti-terrorism efforts.

In May 2002, the Exponent team demonstrated these headgear prototypes to a broad user group that included the government S&T community and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

In April 2003, Exponent, together with ARL, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), delivered a 3-D audio and hearing system to work with the Scorpion helmet. It consisted of a helmet-mounted headtracker device to determine head orientation, a GPS receiver to determine location, and high performance stereo earpieces to produce sound. The AFRL developed a phase and amplitude transformation algorithm that modifies the audio stream with the orientation and location sensor information to synthesize a "virtual" position within the soldierís ears. The soldier can "hear" where his squad-mates are located while fully helmet enclosed and spatially oriented icons can provide the soldier direction of action and warnings of danger. Natural hearing restoration will be generated from a helmet-mounted array of microphones after the processing algorithms chosen. Hearing protection prevents the soldier from becoming a casualty as restoring natural hearing will allow him to have local awareness and safety.
Exponent continues to work with research investigators to define research topics that will directly contribute to improved 3-D Audio performance for the warfighter.

Follow on efforts will include the integration of Exponent's Test-Bed Wearable Computer (TBWC) with an "ElectroTextile" Personal Area Network (PAN).

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