Dubai- AI Journalism
Dogs working in the United States military could in the future wear augmented reality (AR) goggles that enable soldiers to give them remote commands during operations according to bbc
The report said that, goggles are being developed by Command Sight, a Seattle-based company, with US Army research funding, and would allow military dogs to assist in rescue operations and scout potentially dangerous areas for hazards and explosives while their handlers remain at a safe distance.
The report mentioned that, the technology, which the US Army says is the first of its kind, works by letting a handler see everything the dog can see and then provide specific commands using visual cues that show up in the dog’s line of vision.
Currently, military dogs are most commonly directed with hand signals or laser pointers, which require the handler to be in close proximity. Handlers can also use audio communication, with a camera and radio attached to the dog, but the commands can be confusing for the dog.
Special Forces dogs
The Army said the AR goggles could offer Special Forces dogs and their handlers a new alternative, especially as the animals are already used to wearing protective goggles during operations.
Stephen Lee, a senior scientist from the Army Research Office, said in a statement that the new technology offered the military a “critical tool to better communicate with military working dogs.”
“We are still in the beginning research stages of applying this technology to dogs, but the results from our initial research are extremely promising,” Peper said.
A.J. Peper, the founder of Command Sight, said in the statement that the concept could “fundamentally change how military canines are deployed in the future,” though he said there was still a “long way to go” before the technology could be rolled out to units.
The goggles will all be custom-made, the US Army said, with each dog in the trial scanned in 3D so developers can understand where to position the optics and electrical components.