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Ten Technological Advances Designed

 to Keep Our Soldiers Safer

When you send young men and women to war, you owe it to them and their loved
 ones to keep them as safe as humanly possible. Or, in the 21st century,
beyond-humanly possible. Here's a look at ten new technologies the military is
exploring to keep U.S. troops safer, including robot drones, exoskeletons …
 and even chemical injections that deliver extra energy to soldiers.
1. Send in the 3D drones
Ashima Devices has developed a 3D surveillance technology for use with the
company's ForceField drones. These small unmanned helicopters can be clipped
 to a soldier’s standard ALICE field-gear kit. When deployed, they provide a
 real-time, 3D view of the battlefield, including what's around a corner or rooftop,
 and can even simulate storming a building. The device uses a handheld computer
to display the 3D view. A future enhancement will add thermal imaging, so troops
can see heat signatures from weapons and vehicles.
2. Scanning for threatsA state-of-the-art video surveillance system in development can detect when
 enemies are on the move -- and analyze video feeds to see precisely when they
 are preparing to attack. Developed by Kitware, VIRAT (Video and Image
Retrieval and Analysis Tool) scans video and identifies not only that there is a
tank out there, but that it is driving down a one-way street or that troops have
recently boarded. It then uses complex mathematical algorithms to warn troops
of an impending attack. The system should be deployed in 2013.
3. Watching the instant replayYou might recognize the name Harris Corp.; the company  worked with the
NFL to develop the slow-motion technology that tracks Adrian Peterson’s
touchdown runs for the Vikings. This year, the company started assisting the
Pentagon with a “situational awareness” tracking system. It uses video from military
 drones and creates a log of battlefield threats -- and can even flag one particular
 enemy troop for closer analysis.
4. Shredding it upThe best defense is no longer a good offense -- it's a gnarly set of wheels.
This all-terrain troop mover looks like a combination of a skateboard and a
Segway scooter. Designed by BPG-WERKS, the DTV Shredder has a
steering handlebar and rugged tracks that can help soldiers ascend a 40-degree
ravine or rocket across a sandy escarpment at up to 30 mph.
5. Tagging the injuredMotorola has developed an ingenious tracking system for the Department
 of Defense that helps make sure hospitalized patients in a war zone get the
proper medication. A radio-frequency (RFID) tag is embedded at each soldier’s
bedside, and hospital staff use an RFID reader to make sure they have identified
 the soldier properly. The system also tracks medical equipment such as IV
pumps and monitoring equipment.
6. Sending in Mosquitoes
Lantronix and Stara Technologies have jointly developed a battleground system
 called the Mosquito that intelligently delivers plasma packs, batteries, ammunition
, food, and other supplies to battlefields. Lantronix developed the tracking database
and telemetry transit system, which delivers GPS-guided containers developed by
Stara that can weigh up to 150 pounds. The containers can be deployed from a C130
airplane, and can be sent to a precise spot on the battleground for a soft landing via a
parachute.
7. Flying for daysBoeing recently announced the Phantom Eye drone, which has a 150-foot wingspan
 and is powered by two heavily modified Ford Ranger truck engines. The drone runs
on hydrogen fuel and can stay aloft for up to four days -- much longer than most of
the aerial drones used today. This alleviates tedious drone monitoring and the need
 for troops to constantly re-deploy fresh ones.
8. Breathing the airCase Western Reserve School of Medicine is developing a chemical injection that will
 help troops adjust quickly to high altitude. Essentially an oxygen boost for troops who
have hypoxia (low oxygen in the blood), the injection would  take effect immediately
and allow troops to carry out aerial missions and actually boost their energy for faster
 movement.
9. Staying out of the waterWired reported recently about the Team Technologies Stingray, a device that
shoots a tiny stream of water at thousands of feet per second -- it's like a water laser.
The idea: A bomb defuser could use the device to disable roadside IED bombs by
shooting a high-powered stream that splits the bomb apart into chunks without actually
setting off the explosive.
10. Calling in the HULCLockheed Martin is developing the HULC exoskeleton, which provides an energy
 boost for troops and helps prevent injuries during a battle. The flexible exoskeleton
allows troops to carry as much as 200 pounds of gear over rough terrain by
 supplementing their muscles. The device is modulated to align with body movements
 using an on-board computer chip, and allows the soldier to squat and crawl during combat.