Defense Media Network

U.S. Army Explores ‘X6’ Glasses

While much of the technology attention has focused on potential applications for “Google Glass,” the U.S. Army has been supporting the developing of its own computerized eyewear capabilities from San Francisco-based Osterhout Design Group (ODG).

According to company representatives, the development of the military glass design began “about five years ago” under an Army intelligence program dubbed Voice Identification Biometric Exploitation (VIBE). Six rapid generations of development have resulted in the current “X6” design.

One of the first public military demonstrations of the ODG glasses occurred during “Enterprise Challenge ’13,” last year’s iteration of an annual program of military intelligence network experimentation conducted at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. The 2013 event reportedly employed the glasses to provide mobile users with full motion video and other intelligence feeds from ground and air assets.

The ODG X6 glasses were back at last month’s “Enterprise Challenge ’14.” Among the experiments was the possible application of X6 to relay the Army’s new “Nett Warrior” situational awareness information now utilizing an end user device connected to a handheld radio.

The event also provided an opportunity to receive an overview (See video above) on the X6 design from Tony Sanchez, director of special projects for ODG.

By

Scott Gourley is a former U.S. Army officer and the author of more than 1,500...