US Navy Reveals Latest Hi-Tech 'Iron Man' Diving Helmet for Elite Soldiers

An Improved Reality Display – Divers’ Helmet

The U.S. Navy together with the scientists have been working in developing an improved reality display for divers’ helmet which tends to permit them to see photos, sonar reading as well as texts while operating under water. The Iron Man helmet known as DAVD – Divers Augmented Vision Display has been described as a `high resolution, see through head-up display – HUD that is embedded directly in a diving helmet. The futuristic-looking helmet providing a kind of Iron Man-meet Aquaman is what the Naval Surface Warfare Centre has named the `next generation’ technology.

Dennis Gallagher, the Navy’s Underwater Systems Development Project Engineer, had mentioned in a statement that `by building this, directly in the dive helmet, instead of attaching a display on the outside, it could provide a capability identical to something from an Ironman movie and you have everything you visually need directly here in the helmet’. The smart helmet had been demonstrated to around 20 military divers. Divers would be in a position of having real-time visual display of everything according to the news release of the Navy. The Navy considers in conducting in-water simulation testing in October with extended field testing set for 2017. It has not been specified by the military as to when the helmets could be in actual use.

Works with Sensors – Video Systems/Sonar

The new helmet, according to the Navy is said to be used by military divers for under water construction, searches as well as salvage operations and could be utilised by first responders and commercial divers. The technology is said to be designed to assist divers by providing them visuals of precisely what they would be looking for, recording information and messages from the surface.

The military also observed that it works with sensors, especially video systems and sonar, which the individual diver would use in murky conditions with the data that is fed directly in the smart helmets. Gallagher stated that they have been constantly engaged with the operators and if there is a vision they have, they can make it happen. By having this kind of positive on-the-spot feedback, you know that you are going down the right road’.

 This diving technology is said to be the latest which tends to help the elite forces of the Navy in underwater combats. Besides this, it has real time link enabling operators on the surface to chat as well as to send video. But there seems to be a problem wherein it tends to make soldiers seems uncannily like a follower.

Prototype Utilised for Diving Missions

Rather than relying on pre-dive updates in determining what they are looking for, or how specific items need to appear and where they may be isolated, the system tends to provide the information right before the eyes of the diver with a look and a feel similar to a point of view video game display.

Researchers state that the device which seems to be a prototype presently could be utilised for diving missions such as ship husbandry, besides underwater construction and salvage operations. Ultimately the purpose is to have it utilized by first responders together with the commercial diving community. In the next stage two, involves designing components to comprise helmet systems as well as full face masks.