PEDBNVIS Phase I
May 21, 2024
Air Force aviators and special operators currently rely on proven, but decades-old, analog night vision equipment, to enable our air and ground superiority at night. More recently, digital situation awareness capabilities have been merged into night vision systems in the form of various “clip on” concepts, a crude but effective way to bring augmented reality (AR) features such as symbology, navigation and targeting information, and even remote real-time video links, into the operator’s awareness, essentially by looking through two displays at the same time. This solution is far from optimal, and to date has required pilots to use two different helmet systems, one for night, and another for day. These overlay symbology generators add size, weight, and power (SWaP) to the aviator’s head, in particular pushing the analog binocular forward and increasing neck strain at night, and for all this only provide a 30°x22.5° of situation awareness overlay. What is needed is a single system that does all of this.
Perceptive Innovations, Inc. (PI2) is pleased to offer AFRL this proposed solution for the important Binocular Night Vision Imaging System (PEDBNVIS) requirement. In this Phase I proposed effort we will conduct trade studies leading to component selection and definition of a PEDBNVIS architecture and preliminary design plan for Phase II. At the end of this 6-month study, and after Air Force and operator feedback, we will project performance with respect to all program metrics and present a plan to build and deliver two prototype PEDBNVIS systems in Phase II. A roadmap will be produced for other potential solutions, along with the path for all to producibility, supportability, and eventually production units.
PEDBNVIS will be designed with size, weight, and power (SWaP) consistent with head-worn implementation by aviators both in the cockpit and on the ground, estimate all program metrics via laboratory experiments and analyses, and develop a system architecture for PEDBNVIS integration into current and upcoming pilot helmet systems, as well the dismounted special warrior kit (e.g., SWAK) for use on the ground. This Phase I will develop a System Implementation Plan for evaluating PEDBNVIS operating performance in combat environments, including producibility and supportability, in Phase II and beyond.
PEDBNVIS will address broad markets for Digital Night Vision, providing day/starlight vision with AR symbology and video overlays for pilot situation awareness, with Low Power, and extremely low latency (<< 1 frame), small size, while performing as well as current AN/AVS-9 systems. PEDBNVIS will also be applicable to dismounted AFSOC Special Operators. Finally, PEDBNVIS will have broad application to other DoD digital NVG, Emergency responders, Law Enforcement, and Military Training, enabled by a cost-reduced version of PEDBNVIS responding to demand for exploding AR applications for situation awareness.
