Wearable Computer for Enhanced Situation Awareness

Enhanced situational awareness through advanced vision processing requires new tools to support mobile and dismounted warfighters. International Electronic Machines Corporation developed and demonstrated a concept for a Wearable Image Capture and Processing System. WICAPS introduces an innovative hardware design that concentrates on maximizing vision-processing throughput while minimizing power demand and physical size. The core component of WICAPS will consist of a custom Smart Video Module that supports multiple cameras, performs vision processing, and can be used in the field or for development of new algorithms. IEM demonstrated that the hardware-based solution with the proposed advanced development system can operate at speeds 60 times faster or more than optimized assembly language code. During Phase II, IEM will develop a prototype for WICAPS that will include a host, Windows-based wearable computer with support for multiple camera inputs via integrated or peripheral SVMs. The SVM also offers considerable flexibility in use and can operate in a stand-alone mode, can be networked with other SVMs, or can operate as a peripheral to either wearable or desktop computers. Phase II efforts will result in an advanced design with validation and testing of a wearable vision processing tool and a software infrastructure to support application development.