IT MIGHT look like something out of a sci fi film – but these images show the latest revolutionary technology being developed by Lancashire-based engineers from BAE Systems.
Military commanders will be able to wear the video games-style headsets known as a ‘wearable cockpit’ which can turn almost any surface into a virtual command centre used to direct battlefield operations.
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Engineers from Samlesbury and Warton have been working in collaboration with academics at the University of Birmingham to develop applications for the ground-breaking technology concept.
The concept is what they are calling a ‘mixed reality’, which has to aim of combining the real world with a virtual interface that can project a battlefield onto any surface combined with real-time video chat, live feeds, objects and even avatars.
It also includes a briefcase-sized portable command centre that can be set up anywhere to tackle emergency scenarios by creating a workspace rich in virtual information.
Nick Colosimo, futurist at BAE Systems, said: “We’re already seeing virtual and augmented reality becoming more commonplace in consumer products, and the possibilities it offers the armed forces are hugely exciting.”
Professor Bob Stone, who is the simulation and human factors specialist at the University of Birmingham said: “Being able to physically manipulate virtual objects in the real world has been challenging scientists for 40 years .”
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