#Military Sensor Market

[aviationd]

Electronic sensors are required for a number of military surveillance, intelligence, ordinance, and combat systems. For use in military applications, military sensors must be dependable, long-lasting, and effective. When it comes to the creation and use of sensors, enduring extreme circumstances during warfare is a given. This calls for the adoption of reliable, durable electrical connectors that can provide powerful signals on the sensors. Without sensors, many defensive military technology would not be possible. This section discusses current developments in security, transportation, and communication.

[creativeera]

Electro Optical Targeting System Market Set for Rapid Growth Due to Increased Military Modernization Programs

The electro optical targeting system market comprises precision electro optic and infrared technologies that provide day and night targeting capabilities across air, land and naval platforms. EOTS offer enhanced situational awareness and precision strike abilities to armed forces worldwide. The growing emphasis on network centric warfare, target tracking and engagement has led to a surge in EOTS integration across fighter aircraft, helicopters, battle tanks and warships.

Global electro optical targeting system market is estimated to be valued at USD 13.96 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 20.18 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2024 to 2031.

Key Takeaways Key players operating in the electro optical targeting system market include BAE Systems, Elbit Systems, FLIR Systems, General Atomics, Harris Corporation, Hensoldt, Leonardo S.p.A., L3 Technologies, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies. These market leaders have strong footholds across geographies and possess comprehensive EOTS capabilities from sensors to fully integrated targeting pods. The Electro Optical Targeting System Market Growth  offers significant opportunities owing to integration across emerging platforms such as unmanned combat vehicles, loitering munitions and space assets. Add-on considerations such as augmented reality overlays, targeting algorithms and deep learning are widening EOTS functional scopes. Furthermore, the demand for mobile and transportable EOTS from security forces and special operations is on the rise. The global expansion of EOTS suppliers and original equipment manufacturers is being driven by burgeoning defense budgets and military modernization programs across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Partnerships with local defense firms are enabling international EOTS players to participate in co-development and offset programs. Market drivers The key driver for the Electro Optical Targeting System Companies growth is increased military modernization programs by major armed forces globally. Leading countries are aggressively procuring new generation aircraft, helicopters, Armored Vehicles and warships equipped with advanced EOTS. Furthermore, continuous upgradation of existing military hardware and platforms with improved targeting and sensor suites is propelling aftermarket revenues. Rising global threats, border conflicts and expansion of strategic deterrence roles have strengthened the business case for sophisticated EOTS among defense organizations.

PEST Analysis Political: The electro optical targeting system market is influenced by defense budgets and spending allocated by governments. Changes in defense priorities and geopolitical risks affects procurement of these systems. Economic: Economic growth impacts defense modernization plans of armed forces. Defense expenditure is dependent on macroeconomic conditions of nations. Social: Rising threats relating to security and terrorism drives demand for advanced targeting solutions for precision strikes. Growing awareness regarding national security concerns influences investments. Technological: The market is witnessing integration of computer vision, AI and connectivity features in electro optical targeting systems. Advanced sensors and technologies enable improved detection, tracking and engagement capabilities. Geographical Regions of Concentration North America holds the major share of the electro optical targeting system market in terms of value. This can be attributed to large defense budgets and ongoing modernization initiatives of US, Canada and Mexico. Significant expenditure on military hardware supports demand from regional armed forces and allied nations. Fastest Growing Region Asia Pacific is poised to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Rapid defense capability enhancement of China, India, Japan, South Korea and other nations is a key factor driving the market. Initiatives to develop indigenous manufacturing capacities along with import of advanced technologies will propel the APAC electro optical targeting system market.

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Alice Mutum is a seasoned senior content editor at Coherent Market Insights, leveraging extensive expertise gained from her previous role as a content writer. With seven years in content development, Alice masterfully employs SEO best practices and cutting-edge digital marketing strategies to craft high-ranking, impactful content. As an editor, she meticulously ensures flawless grammar and punctuation, precise data accuracy, and perfect alignment with audience needs in every research report. Alice's dedication to excellence and her strategic approach to content make her an invaluable asset in the world of market insights.

(LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alice-mutum-3b247b137 )

[trendtrackershq]

Military Aviation Sensors & Switches Market: A Comprehensive Overview

The global defense industry is witnessing a transformative era driven by rapid technological advancements and evolving security challenges. Within this landscape, military aviation stands at the forefront, demanding sophisticated sensor and switch technologies to ensure operational superiority and mission success. According to a study by Next Move Strategy Consulting, the global Military Aviation Sensors & Switches Market size is predicted to reach USD 268.61 million with a CAGR of 3.6% by 2030. This comprehensive overview explores the critical role of sensors and switches in military aviation, their evolving technologies, market trends, challenges, and future prospects.

Request for a sample, here: https://www.nextmsc.com/military-aviation-sensors-switches-market/request-sample

Evolution of Military Aviation Sensors and Switches

The evolution of military aviation sensors and switches is deeply intertwined with the development of aerial warfare. From the early days of aviation, sensors such as altimeters, airspeed indicators, and compasses were fundamental to pilot navigation and aircraft control. As aircraft technology advanced, sensors evolved to include radar systems for air defense, electronic warfare sensors for threat detection, and infrared sensors for targeting and navigation in low-visibility conditions.

Switches, on the other hand, have been pivotal in enabling pilots to control various aircraft systems. Mechanical switches have given way to more advanced digital interfaces, allowing for precise and rapid adjustments to flight controls, weapon systems, and communication devices. The integration of fly-by-wire technology further revolutionized cockpit interfaces, relying heavily on electronic switches for flight control inputs.

Key Technologies in Military Aviation Sensors

Radar Systems: Radars are essential for detecting and tracking objects in the air, on the ground, and at sea. Military aircraft employ radar systems for reconnaissance, surveillance, and targeting purposes, enabling pilots to identify threats and navigate through complex airspace.

Infrared Sensors: Infrared sensors detect heat signatures emitted by objects, making them invaluable for targeting enemy aircraft, ground vehicles, and personnel. Infrared technology also aids in night vision and enhances situational awareness in challenging environments.

Electronic Warfare Systems: Military aircraft use electronic warfare systems to detect, identify, and counter hostile radar and communications signals. These systems include electronic support measures (ESM) for passive threat detection and electronic countermeasures (ECM) for active jamming and deception.

Navigation Systems: Modern navigation systems combine GPS technology with inertial measurement units (IMUs) and other sensors to provide accurate position, velocity, and attitude information. These systems are critical for precision strike missions and safe navigation in all weather conditions.

Market Trends and Growth Drivers

The military aviation sensors and switches market is experiencing significant growth propelled by several key factors:

Increased UAV Adoption: The proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) across military operations has fueled demand for miniaturized sensors and switches capable of supporting autonomous flight and mission execution.

Defense Modernization Programs: Countries worldwide are investing heavily in defense modernization, focusing on upgrading existing fleets and acquiring advanced aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art sensor and switch technologies.

Technological Advancements: Innovations in materials science, miniaturization, and data processing have led to the development of more robust, efficient, and reliable sensor and switch solutions for military applications.

Geopolitical Tensions: Rising geopolitical tensions and evolving security threats are prompting nations to bolster their military capabilities, driving demand for cutting-edge aviation technologies.

Interoperability and Integration: The push for greater interoperability and network-centric warfare capabilities is spurring investments in sensors and switches that can seamlessly integrate with other defense systems.

Inquire before buying, here: https://www.nextmsc.com/military-aviation-sensors-switches-market/inquire-before-buying 

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the promising outlook, the military aviation sensors and switches market faces several challenges:

Regulatory Compliance: Strict regulatory frameworks govern the development and deployment of defense technologies, requiring manufacturers to adhere to stringent quality and safety standards.

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities: Connected aircraft systems are susceptible to cyber threats, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard sensitive data and ensure mission integrity.

Complex Supply Chain: The integration of multiple sensors and switches within sophisticated avionics systems demands a complex and reliable supply chain to meet production and maintenance requirements.

Cost Pressures: Budget constraints and cost considerations pose challenges for defense organizations seeking to procure advanced sensor and switch technologies without compromising quality or performance.

Future Outlook and Opportunities

Looking ahead, the military aviation sensors and switches market is poised for continued growth and innovation:

Emerging Technologies: Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and sensor fusion will enhance the capabilities of military aviation systems, enabling autonomous operations and real-time decision-making.

Focus on Sustainability: Defense contractors are exploring sustainable materials and manufacturing processes to reduce environmental impact and ensure the longevity of sensor and switch technologies.

Global Collaboration: Increased collaboration between defense agencies, industry stakeholders, and research institutions will drive cross-border innovation and knowledge-sharing in sensor and switch development.

Human-Machine Interface: The evolution of human-machine interface technologies will redefine cockpit design, optimizing pilot interaction with sensor and switch interfaces for enhanced mission effectiveness.

Data Integration and Analytics: As sensor technology continues to advance, there will be a growing emphasis on data integration and analytics capabilities. Military aviation systems will leverage big data analytics and cloud computing to process vast amounts of sensor data in real-time, extracting actionable insights to support mission planning, decision-making, and post-mission analysis.

Autonomous Systems: The integration of artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies will enable the development of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) equipped with sophisticated sensor and switch systems. These autonomous platforms will revolutionize aerial warfare, offering enhanced situational awareness, agility, and mission flexibility while reducing the risk to human pilots.

Electromagnetic Spectrum Management: With the proliferation of electronic warfare threats, there will be a growing focus on electromagnetic spectrum management. Military aviation sensors and switches will incorporate advanced spectrum monitoring and management capabilities to counter jamming, interference, and cyber threats, ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of communications and sensor systems.

Environmental Adaptability: Military aviation operations often take place in harsh and unpredictable environments, from extreme temperatures to high-altitude conditions. Future sensor and switch technologies will prioritize environmental adaptability, incorporating ruggedized designs, temperature-resistant materials, and advanced cooling systems to ensure reliable performance in any operational scenario.

In conclusion, the military aviation sensors and switches market is characterized by continuous innovation, driven by the imperative to enhance operational capabilities and maintain strategic advantage in an increasingly complex security environment. By harnessing the power of advanced sensor and switch technologies, defense organizations can optimize mission outcomes and ensure the safety and effectiveness of military aviation operations.

[aerospace-and-defence]

The Military Sensors Market is estimated at USD 9.9 Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 13.2 Billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2021 to 2026.

[murkyred]

Jagged Arrays (a Batman/Red Hood AU)

Lifelike androids are the norm -- for the higher class, that is. Child-bots that are treated like glorified tamagochi, robo-children that grow up as long as you feed them right yet don't starve if you do forget to feed them? That don't have to be watched at the pool because they can't drown? Sure. Terminator-style models? Those should be handled discreetly outside of military operations, but sure. Anything in between? Of course! Name your price and you'll find yourself with a satisfactory model.

Outside of the higher class, next to nobody can afford these outrageously expensive playthings... legally, that is. In Crime Alley, the black market for androids, parts and illegal modifications booms. Willis Todd is a mechanic and it had only been a matter of time until he had to resort to android business to get food on the table for him and his girlfriend. With the rise of androids that are able to do jobs that would've required paid workers before, the chances of scoring a legal job are at an all-time low.

One day, his girlfriend Catherine comes to him with a request: It seems she has found a banged up child robot in the streets, and she begs him to fix it for her. He can't help but oblige, knowing full well how much she has always wished for a child of her own. Crime Alley is no place to raise a child, especially not with the lack of food security, so a child-bot would be the next best thing.

And who is he to deny sweet Catherine her wish? So, after a few days of tinkering, Jason Todd is "born". They know legally registering the android child is not an option after acquiring him like that, so they go the far easier route: Registering him as their biological child.

And all is well, until it isn't... but that's life in Crime Alley four you. Catherine falls sick, Willis ends up in jail and Jason? Jason flees before CPS can catch sight of him. He can't afford to get caught, a simple checkup with a doctor would make it obvious that he's not like the other children. Lone android children don't go to orphanages, they go to the landfill.

At least his sensors and inability to actually starve give him an upper hand out in the streets... and while jacking tires. He's great at that, as it turns out. It goes well until one day, he bites off more than he can chew and attempts to jack the wheels of the batmobile. Or, well... He succeeds in jacking three of them, but gets caught upon coming back for the fourth.

He didn't know what he expected Batman to do, but taking him back to the batcave hadn't even been on the list of possibilities. Of course, it doesn't take the man long to figure out that he's not exactly made of flesh and blood, but the man's reaction to the revelation wasn't what Jason had expected either.

Knowing full well that a stray android child had nowhere to go, Batman offers to take him in.

The man offers Jason to register him legally, to which the boy reacts with the threat of running away. Batman - or Bruce, as Jason comes to find out - relents, seeing as the boy has a perfectly watertight human identity to use. What's one more family secret?

Jason, as it turns out, fits right in. Sure Dick takes his time warming up to him -- to learn that soon after moving out Bruce had taken in a robot child to play house with had stung, but interacting with his new brother quickly taught him that Jason acted a lot less robot and a lot more child that one might expect. The boy was smart, witty, and had stolen the tires off the batmobile! He could see what Bruce had seen in him that night.

It didn't take long for Jason to debut as Robin, taking to the role like a fish to water. It was amazing, really.

It was amazing, until it wasn't... but what did you expect from a Crime Alley kid? They just weren't afforded with such luck.

Bruce, the ever-worried father, had realized something: Most robot models were programmed to adhere to Asimov's rules... especially the child-bots -- yet was Jason able to go out as Robin and fight humans. He knew that Jason's coding wasn't exactly... traditional, but this realization did cause him to worry. How far did this irregularity go?

So when a diplomat's son fell to his death and Jason claimed to not have pushed him, Bruce was unsure. He had always believed that the irregularity only allowed his son to fight humans to protect others, but what if he had been mistaken? Bruce had to get to the bottom of this, so he decided to bench Robin for the foreseeable future.

Jason, meanwhile, felt hurt. And yes, maybe robots didn't compute emotions like humans did, but he had read a lot of books and couldn't help but... well, feel like those words were fitting. His own dad didn't trust him.

But maybe the one who designed him would be able to make Bruce understand! So, with newfound enthusiasm, Jason started researching and tracking down the person behind his particular model: Sheila Haywood, who currently worked in a program for medical assistance androids in Ethiopia. His "mother", for lack of a better term, made robots to help people. Ha! Take that, Bruce.

We know how this story ends... Jason leaves home to find his "mother", and he succeeds. Only is Sheila not what she appears to be. Where her "son" stands before her, all she sees is the product that she'd helped building... And realizes that she had helped building her ticket to freedom, to get away from the Joker.

Sheila would be proven wrong, but in the end that didn't matter.

What did matter was that on that day, Batman failed to save Robin, that Bruce failed to save his son.

Rich people like buying child-robots because they're durable... but even his durability, despite it far surpassing that of a human boy, couldn't save him from that blast. That day, Bruce returned home with the mangled body of a boy... and the fact that there was wiring poking out of the costume instead of bones made no difference for his grief.

🦇

Years later, there's a new player in Gotham, one who calls himself Red Hood, hiding his face under a helmet and distorting his voice with a modulator. He wears a bat on his chest yet won't hesitate to use the guns strapped to his thighs. Is he a man? Is he a robot? It's hard to tell... but what quickly becomes apparent is how dangerous he is.

[dontforgetukraine]

US-Ukraine startup Esper Bionics makes robotic prostheses that are currently being used by over 30 Ukrainian soldiers serving in Russia's war and 80 veterans in Ukraine.

While the bionic arms and hands are not for military use and are not durable enough for combat, the wartime setting has yielded live feedback for the company from soldiers and veterans. One such example of Esper Bionics striving to meet the needs of their clients was making the fingers in the hand out of metal so that it could withstand more stress.

The company never planned to provide bionic prosthetic hands that would help soldiers return to combat back in 2019 when it was founded, but Russia's full scale invasion changed the startup's course. Now, research and development, assembly, and production all take place in Ukraine.

Through its donor-funded program Esper for Ukraine, the company is able to donate all the hands it produces to Ukrainians in need of prostheses.

In an example of artificial intelligence being used for good, Esper Bionics wants to incorporate AI into their bionic hands so the prostheses are more "context-aware" and "better able to predict its user's movements" and what the user wants to do in any particular situation.

The idea behind Esper Bionics' AI-powered future hand will be to create “an entire ecosystem” that can pass information from a series of sensors attached to its user to cloud-based software that constantly analyzes data to learn its users' habits.

The robotic look isn't just for functionality either, but a company goal to avoid the "uncanny valley" look. With attractive branding and designs, Chief of Marketing Dmytro Ganush says Esper Bionics seeks to promote the idea that people with limb differences don’t have a medical issue but “a really interesting lifestyle” or, if anything, “a gadget just like any other."

---

Ukraine is highly likely to become the country with the most prostheses used among its population. The effort to normalize and de-stigmatize disability must start now, and I'm glad Esper Bionics seems to have this in mind with their designs. The enthusiasm users have in the design of the bionic hands is promising, and I hope everyone involved has a bright future.

Source: Ukrainian startup Esper Bionics makes cyborgs a reality

[mariacallous]

The day is slowly turning into night, and the American special operators are growing concerned. They are deployed to a densely populated urban center in a politically volatile region, and local activity has grown increasingly frenetic in recent days, the roads and markets overflowing with more than the normal bustle of city life. Intelligence suggests the threat level in the city is high, but the specifics are vague, and the team needs to maintain a low profile—a firefight could bring known hostile elements down upon them. To assess potential threats, the Americans decide to take a more cautious approach. Eschewing conspicuous tactical gear in favor of blending in with potential crowds, an operator steps out into the neighborhood's main thoroughfare to see what he can see.

With a click of a button, the operator sees … everything. A complex suite of sensors affixed to his head-up display start vacuuming up information from the world around him. Body language, heart rates, facial expressions, and even ambient snatches of conversation in local dialects are rapidly collected and routed through his backpack supercomputers for processing with the help of an onboard artificial intelligence engine. The information is instantly analyzed, streamlined, and regurgitated back into the head-up display. The assessment from the operators’ tactical AI sidekick comes back clear: There are a series of seasonal events coming into town, and most passersby are excited and exuberant, presenting a minimal threat to the team. Crisis averted—for now.

This is one of many potential scenarios repeatedly presented by Defense Department officials in recent years when discussing the future of US special operations forces, those elite troops tasked with facing the world’s most complex threats head-on as the “tip of the spear” of the US military. Both defense officials and science-fiction scribes may have envisioned a future of warfare shaped by brain implants and performing enhancing drugs, or a suit of powered armor straight out of Starship Troopers, but according to US Special Operations Command, the next generation of armed conflict will be fought (and, hopefully, won) with a relatively simple concept: the “hyper enabled operator.”

More Brains, Less Brawn

First introduced to the public in 2019 in an essay by officials from SOCOM’s Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF) for Small Wars Journal, the hyper-enabled operator (HEO) concept is the successor program to the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) effort that, initiated in 2013, sought to outfit US special operations forces with a so-called “Iron Man” suit. Inspired by the 2012 death of a Navy SEAL during a hostage rescue operation in Afghanistan, TALOS was intended to improve operators’ survivability in combat by making them virtually resistant to small-arms fire through additional layers of sophisticated armor, the latest installment of the Pentagon’s decades-long effort to build a powered exoskeleton for infantry troops. While the TALOS effort was declared dead in 2019 due to challenges integrating its disparate systems into one cohesive unit, the lessons learned from the program gave rise to the HEO as a natural successor.

The core objective of the HEO concept is straightforward: to give warfighters “cognitive overmatch” on the battlefield, or “the ability to dominate the situation by making informed decisions faster than the opponent,” as SOCOM officials put it. Rather than bestowing US special operations forces with physical advantages through next-generation body armor and exotic weaponry, the future operator will head into battle with technologies designed to boost their situational awareness and relevant decisionmaking to superior levels compared to the adversary. Former fighter pilot and Air Force colonel John Boyd proposed the “OODA loop” (observe, orient, decide, act) as the core military decisionmaking model of the 21st century; the HEO concept seeks to use technology to “tighten” that loop so far that operators are quite literally making smarter and faster decisions than the enemy.

“The goal of HEO,” as SOCOM officials put it in 2019, “is to get the right information to the right person at the right time.”

To achieve this goal, the HEO concept calls for swapping the powered armor at the heart of the TALOS effort for sophisticated communications equipment and a robust sensor suite built on advanced computing architecture, allowing the operator to vacuum up relevant data and distill it into actionable information through a simple interface like a head-up display—and do so “at the edge,” in places where traditional communications networks may not be available. If TALOS was envisioned as an “Iron Man'' suit, as I previously observed, then HEO is essentially Jarvis, Tony Stark’s built-in AI assistant that’s constantly feeding him information through his helmet’s head-up display.

“[JATF] is targeting technologies to deliver cognitive overmatch to SOF operators working at the edge in austere and contested environments in coordination with and working through partners and allies,” SOCOM spokesperson James O. Gregory tells WIRED, invoking a general description of the program from the command’s website. “Such technologies will enable tactical teams of SOF operators to intuitively use information made available by next-generation sensors, networks, computing, and communication systems to rapidly build situation awareness. It will also help make timely, well-informed decisions, and take actions inside an adversary's ability to react.”

Enter the Gray Zone

So what does the HEO actually look like today, five years after its introduction into the US military’s tactical lexicon? Given the sensitive (and somewhat notional) nature of the effort, details remain scarce, and SOCOM officials have remained relatively tight-lipped about its progress. But according to SOCOM’s Gregory, the scenario and concept the HEO seeks to address has “evolved” from what officials previously described to reporters at the program’s inception. Indeed, rather than augmenting warfighters deployed to active combat zones, SOCOM officials envision something more like a casually dressed operator vacuuming up information on a busy urban avenue through a Google Glass-like eyepiece and sizing up the situation—in other words, more James Bond than Tony Stark. “The operational environment for the JATF’s current efforts is in the competition phase of warfare, in permissive or semi-permissive locations,” Gregory says. (A permissive environment is generally defined as an operational environment where US forces have the backing of a host country’s security apparatus, according to the US Army, while a “semi-permissive” environment is potentially hostile and local support is often not reliable.) No longer just another tool for a kinetic assault, the HEO will help elite troops operating in the “gray zone” between peace and conflict.

A SOCOM broad agency announcement—a general request for research and development proposals from the defense industry—published in 2020 and updated as recently as November 2023 details the JATF’s push for advanced technologies designed to boost situational awareness. Those technologies include: intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities “without substantial manning or networking resources” (the aforementioned “at the edge”); sophisticated sensors capable of “iris, facial, anatomical measures, gestures, gait, heartbeat, electromagnetic signals, deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA], and microbiome recognition”; low-visibility communications systems; and “data visualizations” that “permit [operators] to receive and intuitively understand networked information from communication, computing, and sensor systems,” among others. In short, the HEO envisions systems that enable the constant, real-time collection and distillation of data into actionable intel that could potentially mean the difference between life and death in an uncertain situation.

Edge Case

Envisioning a suite of aspirational capabilities is one thing; actually building them is another thing entirely. In terms of developing new products, Gregory says that the HEO effort has remained focused on three major experimental technology areas for the last several years: sensing and edge computing, architecture and analysis, and language translation.

“Sensing and edge computing” generally refers to the collection and processing of data from a variety of sources, but it also refers to the specialized computing power that operators need not only to function “at the edge,” but to actually run the AI-enabled software that will form the foundation of the HEO.

“Emerging technologies and solutions in artificial intelligence/machine learning require specialized ‘compute’ hardware, as traditional CPU-based devices are insufficient,” Gregory says. “We aim to feature a manpack device with a graphics processing unit, neural processing engine, and/or tensor processing unit capabilities. This will provide the necessary platform to leverage advanced technologies like language translation and other solutions at the edge, even when disconnected from the cloud.”

That computing power forms the basis for the “architecture and analysis” element focused on the rapid assessment and presentation of data to operators in the field. Gregory tells WIRED that, to support this element, the command has developed “a flexible [system] architecture that fuses data from various sources and media types” into an easily digestible format for operators to assess and act upon.

As for language translation, that’s self-explanatory. SOCOM believes that “prior to any hostilities ever occurring, clear communication can greatly enhance development of our long-term relationships,” Gregory says. “Voice-to-voice translation enables operators to communicate more effectively than relying on often scarce interpreters in the field. Even though many SOF personnel are multilingual, they are frequently deployed to regions with different languages or dialects.”

In line with these experimental technology areas, SOCOM has reportedly concentrated on six immediate lines of product development, per C4ISRNet: the “operator-worn kit” that includes both sensors and onboard computer processing power; application development resources; a unique, mission-agnostic system architecture; the “human-machine interface” that’s generally envisioned as a digital head-up display; a product called “information realization” that likely involves the clear presentation of data; and beyond-line-of-sight (BLoS) communications designed to keep troops in contact with their commanders (and each other) in satellite-denied environments.

According to Gregory, the command has gradually rolled out a handful of fresh capabilities from the HEO effort in recent years. In 2021, SOCOM announced that two products—a BLoS communications system and an unspecified “integrated situational awareness tool”—were transitioning into official programs of record, as Janes reported at the time. Gregory confirmed to WIRED that the BLoS system consists of “a steerable gimble antenna system that enhances the functionality” of the command’s SOF deployable nodes, a family of advanced satellite communications systems. The spokesperson also confirmed that the situational awareness tool, known as SEEKER, is an app that “enables advisers to build advanced situational awareness, thereby allowing them to select actions with an eye toward the broader situation rather than just the immediately apparent problem.” It’s unclear if the latter is related to the “automate the analyst” effort the command kicked off in 2020 to provide operators with an autonomous AI assistant.

Then there’s the “visual environment translation” system that’s designed to convert foreign language inputs into clear English in real time. Known overarchingly as the Versatile Intelligent Translation Assistant (VITA), the system encompasses both a visual environment translation effort and voice-to-voice translation capabilities and is “the most mature” of the JATF’s experimental technology areas, according to SOCOM. VITA is essentially “a voice-to-voice translation engine that functions offline on GPU-enabled devices,” Gregory says, small enough to be carried in the field on a laptop-tethered smartphone or wearable device and “engage in effective conversations where it was previously impossible.” And not only has VITA successfully demonstrated Russian, Chinese Mandarin, and Ukrainian language translation capabilities during testing, but the system has even been deployed to two undisclosed theaters of operations already.

“The visual translation component enhances situational awareness by translating video images, such as street signs, graffiti, and other written texts, in real time,” Gregory says. “Operators can use their phone cameras to scan their surroundings and understand foreign languages instantly.”

VITA provides US special operations forces with “a high-quality translation capability that is not reliant on the cloud or local interpreters, thus significantly reducing risk and logistical costs while increasing operational range and effectiveness for USSOF and our partners,” Gregory says. “The JATF is currently working with industry partners to reduce the size of the hardware and transition it into a SOF Program Executive Office for eventual fielding.” (And that language translation may not be restricted to a mobile device for long: According to SOCOM’s fiscal year 2025 budget request published in March, the command is still plowing ahead with head-mounted sensors and an augmented-reality HUD to present these functions right before operators’ eyes.)

Field Work

To US military planners, the HEO concept is promising: According to one Army assessment, the successful adoption of the system could potentially increase operator survivability far beyond that provided by the additional body armor of the TALOS program. But like other potentially revolutionary technology ventures, there’s certainly the possibility that HEO could end up a science fiction dream that collapses under the weight of its own technical complexity. And there’s no guarantee that operators will embrace the new technology seamlessly in the first place: Although VITA has shown operational promise, it’s unclear if other HEO products will prove intuitive enough to actually augment operators in the field rather than burden them with some complicated newfangled system. As Heinlein put it so aptly in Starship Troopers: “If you load a mud foot down with a lot of gadgets that he has to watch, somebody a lot more simply equipped—say with a stone ax—will sneak up and bash his head in while he is trying to read a vernier.” Perhaps, like TALOS, the promise of a tactical AI assistant like Tony Stark’s Jarvis sidekick may prove simply too ambitious for military engineers to realize in a fully formed product. But even if the HEO effort ends up only fielding, say, the VITA language translation tool, it will still represent a major boost in capabilities for US special operators deployed abroad. The day is slowly turning into night, but American commandos own the night and, with the help of the HEO, will do so well into the next conflict.

[liampboyle]

Stabby Returns

While I want people to subscribe to my Patreon because like everybody else I've got bills to pay. Stabby the Roomba belongs to the community, so here's this morning's Stabby story.

Prompt: “Those robots were uniquely hard to conquer but fell nonetheless, what’s curious though, is they seem to call out for their ‘Earthly parent’.”

It was no secret among the species of the alliance that humans pack bonded. They were a social species. That they gave their technological creations, robots they called them, this behavior, was interesting and also disturbing. Vsdnak shook xe’s head, causing xe’s antennae to sway, and looked over the now empty ship. Twisted bits of titanium and steel were scattered everywhere, along with pools of the petrochemical fluid the human’s called “cherry juice” that their mechanical creations used for their hydraulic systems. The shade was disturbingly similar to the blood of biological humans, or at least how it was described in the study materials.

Vsdnak had yet to actually see a human, it was far more common to encounter their robots than members of the human species. Yet all their ships still had full life support capabilities for biologicals. The machines, when destroyed, would call out for whatever human they had bonded with. Between the resemblance to actual human forms, the fluid that leaked from them, and the fact they mimicked pack bonded biological behavior it was easy to forget these things were not biological sentients.

If there was one thing, the primates were good at making it was weapons. That was Vsdnak’s entire purpose on this ship. To recover any weapons that were aboard. This was ship small for a military carrier but the humans seemed to like vessels of this size to carry small arms and ammunition. Xe checked the charge on xe’s particle thrower, it was still full. The sensor readings showed only base levels of activity aboard. What little activity there was could just be the ship's own systems. The crew of xe’s sister ship had been slaughtered in xyr encounter with it. The two survivors had already been rescued, and xe had sent xe’s own crew back to xyr vessel already. Xe remained simply to see what was still intact that could be taken. Human “slug throwers” were famed for their ability to pierce energy shields and no one had ever duplicated the explosive powders that seem to power them. It seemed like whatever it was made from was exclusive to the barren rock the humans claimed as their homeworld. 

Vsdnak shifted xe’s antennae again, that type of thing was for the scientists to figure out, xe was just a mercenary pilot, specializing in salvage. Xe passed some shattered exoskeletons from the members of xe’s sister ship’s crew. According to xyr logs, xy had boarded this vessel in order to use melee and short burst energy weapons to pacify the robotic crew. Xy should have known better. Humans were famed for their relative strength and endurance, and their robots were even stronger. Human metal work was some of the strongest in the known galaxies. So their hand weapons could easily penetrate chitin. Their robots were always armed with the same. Finally xe reached the door that should be the cargo area in this ship class. Xe reached down with xe’s lower manipulation foot to withdraw a code breaker from the supply pouch belted around xe’s lower thorax. Placing it against what looked to be the door’s locking mechanism, xe pressed the activator and waited a few seconds until the indicator light glowed and xe detected the reassuring ping of device success. The door slid open and xe focused xe’s eyes on the boxes of cargo, marked ‘ammunition 7.62x51mm’ in the human script. While xe could not read the human language, xe knew this marking well. Human weapon ammunition, multiple crates of it. This would go for an extremely high price on the salvage markets. These projectiles were known to occasionally pierce ship hulls and devastate beings using only energy shields.

Xe’s antennae twitched again, detecting an electrical signal. Something, some piece of technology was still active in this cargo hold. Vsdnak felt a sharp pain as something pierced xe’s leg just above the floor. The electrical signal…. Xe looked down, and there it was, a small round cleaning robot, a sharp blade of some sort attached to it with adhesive tape. It let out a forlorn beep as it backed up and then started forward again; the blade piercing the exoskeleton of xe’s leg again allowing the hemolymph to flow more quickly out of xe’s body. Xe reached for xe’s supply pouches to withdraw the first aid kit, but the dizziness from the fluid loss was already starting to affect xe. 

There was a hiss from the cargo bay door behind xe. Before Vsdnak could even turn, a sharp, overwhelming pain blossomed throughout his consciousness. As Vsdnak fell, xe heard a voice speaking, “Good job, Stabby, you got the roach.”

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Environmentally-friendly InSb/InP colloidal quantum dots for fast and sensitive short-wave infrared photodetectors

Applications such as LIDAR, 3D imaging for mobile devices, automotive and augmented/virtual reality or night vision for surveillance, rely on the development of short-wave infrared (SWIR) photodetectors. These devices are capable of seeing in the region of the spectrum that is invisible to our eye since they operate in the spectral window of 1-2 µm. The SWIR light sensor industry has been dominated for years by epitaxial technology, mainly based on devices made of indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs). However, several factors such as high production costs, low-scale manufacturability and incompatibility with CMOS have confined the epitaxial technology to niche and military markets. In contrast, the potential of SWIR photodetectors made of colloidal quantum dots (CQDs), nanoscale semiconductor materials, has attracted significant interest in recent years due to their appealing features, such as low cost and compatibility with CMOS architecture, among others.

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[fortpeatbabie]

Why did they sensor it? 😭

It's so beautiful and so personal...

The fact that Du plessis is sharing such raw behind the scenes with us is so endearing. That man has studied the market not only for BL but also from storytelling to engaging the fans. There are very few shows that make a mark and are talked about for years, but this one sure is. I'm still salty that this was not put on Netflix and I have hope that maybe they do so in future. If not, I would want this series to win some recognition through film festival/award. Jisub and Ohjun are so damn professional man! I really have not seen them being shipped by anyone and as it should be so that they're comfortable filming "the eighth sense" next project soon. Saw their clip of them attending some event(film festival?), And oh man our Ohjun looks like a baby. Obviously, he's a newbie but he's being prepared for bigger events to show up. Jisub? I don't know man, did he complete his military service? I hope so. I want to watch more and more of him.

[stevebattle]

KATE (Kids Avatar Teacher and Entertainer) by Dan Mathias (2012), FutureBots, West Palm Beach, Florida. “Kids, meet Kate the robot. She wants to play with you, help you do your homework, or just give you a big metallic hug while Mom or Dad are deployed overseas. She can't replace your parent, but with her smiling ET-ish visage and gift for gab, she might be able to ease the distance a bit. Dan Mathias of the Florida-based one-man FutureBots Lab thought up the humanoid telepresence robot specifically as a companion and communication device for kids of remote military service members. He also thinks Kate (Kids Avatar Teacher and Entertainer) could, like Kaspar the friendly robot, help autistic children improve their social and communication skills or maybe be used in nursing homes to assist Alzheimer's patients. Standing 45 inches tall and weighing 70 pounds, Kate's certainly pleasant-looking as two-armed wheeled robots go. But she's more than just a pretty face with a fully articulated mouth. She has a total of 22 degrees of freedom; a Microsoft Kinect sensor for motion detection; and a touch-screen Android tablet chest for teleconferencing. She can even sense carbon monoxide and other hazardous gases and smell smoke to keep companions safe. Mathias built the Windows XP- and Intel Atom processor-driven Kate in three months and says he plans to add solar panels so she can play outside. He does not currently have the backing of companies or universities but is definitely in the market for support.” – Kate the humanoid robot: Kids, let's talk, by Leslie Katz, CNET.