Award

The use of laser devices in the battlefield is rapidly increasing - from low power line-of-sight communications to high-power lasers designed to disable or destroy enemy weaponry. These laser devices operate over a wide range of spectral regions,depending on specific application and some are potentially tunable to a variety or continuum of wavelengths. With the increasing number of devices, the hazard to battlefield personnel, even from friendly sources, has become a potentially significantissue. If protective devices are to be deployed to personnel, it is key that these devices do not introduce unacceptable levels of image distortion that may have physiological effects such as disorientation, headache, or nausea. OPTICS 1 has extensiveexperience in the area of night vision goggle design and development, specifically in the area of direct-view laser eye protection devices using optical limiter materials. In addition, OPTICS 1 is near completion of the successful Phase I program for thistopic.