AR/XR headset for military target acquisition
An AXR headset may be used for remote applications on the battlefield for warfighters permits better target acquisition and visualization system comprising an AXR headset and a digital sight capable of being mounted on a weapon, the digital sight in communication with the AXR headset. The digital sight may be an existing weapon sight with an additional digital camera added, or the digital sight may be a sighting module of a digital nature capable of sending target information to the AXR headset.
1 . An AXR target acquisition and visualization system comprising:
an AXR headset adapted to be worn by a warfighter including:
a headset support frame;
an optical system including:
an image generator;
a lens assembly including:
a partially transmissive curved mirror positioned in front of a warfighter's eye; and
a beam splitter positioned between the partially transmissive curved mirror and the warfighter's eye; and
an optical image relay configured to conjugate a two-dimensional (2D) image formed from the image generator to a curved focal surface of the partially transmissive curved mirror and including a prism having a folding surface configured for folding the optical path for light generated by the image generator towards the beam splitter;
an eye tracking subsystem mounted to the headset support frame and configured to track an eye-gaze location of the warfighter's eye;
one or more forward and/or backward and/or upward mounted cameras connected to the headset support frame; and
a digital target acquisition system including a processor coupled in communication with the optical system and the cameras, where the digital target acquisition system is capable of identifying enemy combatants and alerting the wearer of the AXR headset; and
a digital sight capable of being mounted on a weapon, the digital sight in communication with the AXR headset;
wherein the digital target acquisition system receives images from the digital sight, receives the eye-gaze location from the eye tracking subsystem, and displays the received images on the partially transmissive curved mirror of the AXR headset at the eye-gaze location received from the eye tracking subsystem.
2 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the eye tracking subsystem includes a plurality of infra-red (IR) sensitive cameras.
3 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , further comprising a dynamic opacity subsystem including a multilayered lens configured to obscure a portion of the multilayered lens where the warfighter's eye is viewing the images displayed on the partially transmissive curved mirror.
4 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 3 , wherein the multilayered lens includes a pixelated outer layer.
5 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 4 , wherein the pixelated outer layer includes a plurality of pixels of cholesteric liquid crystal independently capable of becoming clear or opaque.
6 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 5 , wherein the dynamic opacity subsystem is configured to automatically adjust an opaqueness of the pixelated outer layer based on ambient lighting conditions.
7 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 4 , wherein the multilayered lens includes an anti-reflective layer including an optical coating for preventing unwanted artifacts.
8 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , further comprising a range finder subsystem capable of being mounted on the weapon and in wireless communication with the digital target acquisition system.
9 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the digital target acquisition system displays two disparate crosshairs symbols that automatically align in a visually overlaid configuration to indicate computed target acquisition for firing.
10 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the communication between the digital sight and the AXR headset is wireless.
11 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the digital sight has optical and/or digital zoom capabilities, and where the zoom capabilities of the digital sight are controlled by the AXR headset.
12 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the digital target acquisition system includes computer vision artificial intelligence configured to identify visual elements at which munitions should intersect and identifying the precise timing of munition release.
13 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 1 , wherein the optical system is pivotably mounted to the headset support frame in a visor design.
14 . The AXR target acquisition and visualization system of claim 13 , further comprising a clip-on corrective lens clipped on at a bottom of the lens assembly.