Cool Military Research

**Dreadnought** · 11-22-2010, 10:51 AM

So I originally went to NC State for nuclear engineering, but ended up working as a mechanical engineer. Now I'm back at UNC Charlotte focusing in optics. During one of our lectures the professor revealed he's been working with some others in the field on a DARPA funded project aimed at making night vision goggles that essentially look no different than a pair of shades! I LOVE this sort of research!

Also, I've been offered a research assistantship using a MRF machine. These machines are used to finely polish the lenses used in many lasers in the defense industry such as rangefinders and (larger versions) in the solid state weapons aboard the 747's. Synoptics, a division of Northrop Grumman, is the world leader at growing and polishing these lenses right here in Charlotte. They are also hopefully my future employer.

Happy Monday!

**Katanama** · 11-22-2010, 11:02 AM

I thought the one on the 747 was a chemical laser Source. As far as I know you cant get a high enough effect out of solid state laser for weapon use, though that is just my memory.

But I do like the Idea of the NVGs that don't weigh more then a pair of shades. Can you please tell us how they do that because I am interested.

**Redd_Wiggler** · 11-22-2010, 12:38 PM

nice!

i took part in a research project at UB (university of buffalo) in the center for research in special environments. we swam in this circular pool for times results, did lung capacity tests and repeated the tests in a compression chamber at a simulated depth of 50-100 feet...the we (the subjects) were given this lung exorcising do-dad (basically we breathed thru a thing with valves that provided resistance in both directions) that we used for a month, and we did the experiments again. i showed an improvement of up to 75% in every area except lung capacity, which apparently doesnt change due to the size of your lungs. cool stuff...oh and i got paid $15/ hour to swim and get in better shape!

the whole study was designed to come up with something to help the navy seals stay fit while they are stationed on subs until they are deployed.

**Dreadnought** · 11-22-2010, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Katanama

I thought the one on the 747 was a chemical laser Source. As far as I know you cant get a high enough effect out of solid state laser for weapon use, though that is just my memory.

But I do like the Idea of the NVGs that don't weigh more then a pair of shades. Can you please tell us how they do that because I am interested.

Yeah, you're right about the chemical laser. Making the laser beam really isn't my area. I just work with mirrors, lenses, polarizers, splitters, interferometers, fiber optics, etc.

About the NVGs, I'm not sure how involved he is with the research. He may not be one of the main researchers, probably just a consultant. As far as I understand it, a major defense researcher probably wouldn't be in a classroom. Regardless, he wouldn't tell us anything interesting. I'm not even sure they know they can do it yet or not. It's just being funded to that objective he said. On the other hand, cyborgs may be being fitted with them in Area 51 as we speak! /tin_foil_hat

His primary research area is low temperature thermal imaging... Thermal images you see now compare body heat (37 C) to background (~25 C) typically. He takes infrared images of -200 C objects against even colder backgrounds. At that point, the light is better described as photons with a quantum probability distribution than a wave. His secondary research area is manufacturing artificial "insect eyes" basically lenses that have thousands of different focal points in a single lens. Basically that would allow a computer to simultaneously take a picture from each lens and use software to mesh the sharp images from each picture to create a composite picture where everything is in focus at the same time.

That might give a clue to which direction they're heading... One of the main reason NVG's need to be huge right now is because they need to move lenses to focus.(solved by bug eyes) Another is that they need large aperture's to capture the maximum amount of light. (reducing visible light intensity is similar to reducing infrared temp.) But before you think we're going to be seeing GIs with bug lens Oakleys, those bug lenses are wayyyy smaller than that... They are so small that, to the naked eye, it would look like a "frosted" light bulb I believe.

Then again, all this is just my brainstorming!

**ankyle62** · 11-22-2010, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Redd_Wiggler

nice!

i took part in a research project at UB (university of buffalo) in the center for research in special environments. we swam in this circular pool for times results, did lung capacity tests and repeated the tests in a compression chamber at a simulated depth of 50-100 feet...the we (the subjects) were given this lung exorcising do-dad (basically we breathed thru a thing with valves that provided resistance in both directions) that we used for a month, and we did the experiments again. i showed an improvement of up to 75% in every area except lung capacity, which apparently doesnt change due to the size of your lungs. cool stuff...oh and i got paid $15/ hour to swim and get in better shape!

the whole study was designed to come up with something to help the navy seals stay fit while they are stationed on subs until they are deployed.

Ive seen those things for sale over on the SealFit website.

**Redd_Wiggler** · 11-22-2010, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by ankyle62

Ive seen those things for sale over on the SealFit website.

they really work!

here is an article about the study, if you are interested.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/61065.php

sorry for thread hijack.

**AFsoccer** · 11-22-2010, 04:16 PM

Shouldn't this be in the sandbox?

**Portable.Cougar** · 11-22-2010, 04:27 PM

There are other areas than the pr one?

**ThirdSin** · 11-22-2010, 05:29 PM

This is very interesting stuff. I don't find myself venturing out of the PR forum much, perhaps I should.

**ankyle62** · 11-22-2010, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Redd_Wiggler

they really work!

here is an article about the study, if you are interested.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/61065.php

sorry for thread hijack.

http://shop.navyseals.com/Powerlung-Sport-p/feplsk1.htm

This is what I was thinking of

**Redd_Wiggler** · 11-22-2010, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by ankyle62

http://shop.navyseals.com/Powerlung-Sport-p/feplsk1.htm

This is what I was thinking of

thats basically what we had, but the lab made the ones we used and they had a way to hook into a computer via this junction box.

Delta*RandyShugart* · 11-22-2010, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by ThirdSin

This is very interesting stuff. I don't find myself venturing out of the PR forum much, perhaps I should.

If you go to the sandbox, just look........Don't click"Post Quick Reply"............trust me............
The Sandbox will suck you in faster than that sand pit monster in Return of The Jedi.

**Skud** · 11-22-2010, 11:39 PM

Sarlaac...

**Wicks** · 11-23-2010, 08:04 AM

Talking of developments, is anyone watching the Frontline Battle Machines series on Discovery. Last episode they featured the current GB Army comms system. This had totally passed me by somehow.

Basically it is a pair if ergonomic, in ear earphones with a built in mic. Speech is handled by an in ear Mic that works off air vibrations in the air canal, no mouthpiece. In addition ambient battle sounds (external) are regulated to safe hearing levels by a processor and relayed via the ear plug/phones, ie explosions are reported at safe levels. Much like the Wolf battle headsets used to.

Very cool and news to me. Bit off topic, sorry, got excited lol.