Defence Magazine

DSTO has developed a new capability to assist soldiers on the battlefield and help prevent injuries or fatalities. The Off Axis Viewing Device (OAVD), attached to a rifle, enables the soldier to scan and engage targets from a position of cover. A reflected image from the weapon's telescopic sight is transmitted through the device to the soldier who is able to position himself away from the line of fire and survey terrain around corners, over walls or other available cover.

The OAVD can reduce the vulnerability of Australian soldiers to enemy fire when they are engaging with, or searching for, targets in urban terrain. In such environments, bullet or fragment wounds to the head or face tend to be more common than wounds to other parts of the body.

The OAVD is similar to the Periscope Rifle that was used in the trenches of Quinn's Post at Gallipoli. But unlike the cumbersome wooden frame of that early example of Aussie ingenuity, this device is compact, light and easy to use. Most importantly, it has been designed in such a way as not to impede the normal operation of the weapon. The device can be carried on the weapon and rotated to be used when needed.

A modern assault rifle can be fitted with a variety of auxiliary equipment ranging from torches to grenade launchers. This 'toolkit' approach to readiness means that the soldier can take an individually configured weapon into the field knowing that he has the specific capability required for the task at hand.

The OAVD is part of this 'toolkit' approach and primarily enhances the soldier's survivability while providing him with the ability to safely return fire.

The appeal of devices like the OAVD is their simplicity, both in terms of design and use. In the high-pressure environment of the battlefield a soldier requires technology that is intuitive to operate and is robust and reliable in all conditions. Human factors were a strong focus of the design and development of the system.

The OAVD is currently being trialled by Army. It is wholly Australian, as was the original periscope rifle. Along with the recent introduction of advanced body armour, it means that our troops will be some of the best protected on the battlefield.

Animation to Predict Spinal Injuries

DSTO researchers Nick Beagley and Vlad Ivancevic display computerised 3-D animations of their Full Spin Simulator.

A new 3-D animated mathematical model of the human spine developed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) promises to be the most accurate predictor yet of injury to the spine and associated neuro-muscular tissues.

The model was developed by DSTO to examine the implications of head mounted loads such as night vision goggles on the performance and well being of Australian Defence Force (ADF) soldiers.

The model has been incorporated into its first application, a standalone Windows package known as the 'Full Spine Simulator', which represents all 25 movable joints of the spine with three rotations and three limited translations at every joint.

The spinal column is not columnar at all. It is a chain of 25 joints each with six degrees of freedom - and the injury is somewhere at one or more of these. It is not 'in the spine'. With this model it is possible to predict where the injury will occur.

Challenging existing theories of biomechanics, the Human Biodynamics Engine (HBE) model will radically improve the ability to anticipate the point in time and specific location of potential injuries. This will have many applications including the design of wearable and carried loads, safety assessment DSTO computerised of workplace activities, and as a possible alternative to million-dollar crash test dummies.

The model includes automatic stabilising movements driven by muscular excitation and contraction dynamics, spinal reflexes and cerebellum (lower brain) control. It can be placed in a dynamic environment with various parameters set to represent body size, strength and endurance.

External factors can also be set, including initial posture, vibration and cyclic motion. Impacts such as a car crash, ejection or hard landing can also be entered. Load parameters such as the mass and position of additional loads can then be added to the body model.

The model is unique in its proximity to real human physiology and the biomechanics of human movement and it provides a much more sensitive tool for estimating the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.

Advances in Military Surveillance

New technology developed by DSTO will help military surveillance analysts to locate hard-to-find moving targets.

Analysts will be able to use a new computer processing method to improve their ability to detect previously inconspicuous moving targets on airborne surveillance video of a land battlefield.

The "Video Moving Target Indication" (VMTI) technology, when applied to surveillance video, effectively highlights moving targets and suppresses background clutter.

Aircraft undertaking surveillance often operate over cluttered environments which are generally covered in vegetation or manmade features that can obscure vision of a moving target.

The electro-optic video cameras used for airborne surveillance are operated with a wide field of view to gain maximum ground coverage. As a result, any targets present are very small and extremely difficult to see.

The DSTO technology makes hard to see targets highly conspicuous to a human surveillance analyst.

DSTO's VMTI system has a very effective automatic target detection capability for reliably cueing and spotting moving vehicles at lower magnifications (i.e. wider fields of view) than other VMTI systems previously thought to be at the cutting edge of technology.

Initial trials of the VMTI system demonstrate a major improvement in the ability of analysts to detect targets. The system's own automatic target detection functionality is also highly effective.

If developed for operational use, the system offers significant benefit for military aircraft on tactical missions involving hostile ground vehicles.

Defence

Defence Science and Technology Organisation

Breaking new ground - Innovation in Science and Technology

New Device for Soldier Safety

Animation to Predict Spinal Injuries

Advances in Military Surveillance