The amount of scattered light, or haze, typically increases as transparent materials age, wear, become dirty, or become scratched from cleaning. Light scattered from scratched aircraft transparencies, such as windscreen, head-up-display combiners, and helmet visors, can potentially reduce pilot visual performance and reduce target detection range. Presented in this paper are the results of an investigation of light scattered from transparencies exhibiting different levels of wear and surface damage. Two methods of measuring scattered light are compared. Visual performance under conditions of white light scatter relevant to the use of helmet-mounted displays in the cockpit is also examined.

The use of Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMD) and lasers is becoming widespread throughout the world. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Helmet-Mounted Sensory Technologies (HMST) program is currently studying the effects incorporating the various laser eye protection (LEP) technologies into HMD technologies. LEP technologies currently available are absorptive organic dyes or reflective filters such as holograms or dielectric stacks. Because of the overall reduction in light transmittance and selective spectral filtering characteristics of various LEP technologies, compatibility with HMD technologies, and, ultimately, aircrew acceptance must be addressed. This paper will discuss some of the HMST requirements needed to perform adequate LEP and maintain HMD performance. This paper will also include a review of different approaches being studied to meet those requirements.

Modern fighter aircraft windscreens and canopies are typically made of curved, transparent plastic for improved aero-dynamics and bird-strike protection. Since they are curved these transparencies often refract light in such a way that a pilot looking through the transparency will see a target in a location other than where it really is. This effect has been known for many years and methods to correct the aircraft head- up display (HUD) for these angular deviations have been developed and employed. The same problem occurs for helmet- mounted display/trackers (HMD/Ts) used for target acquisition. However, in this case, the pilot can look through any part of the transparency instead of being constrained to just the forward section as in the case of the HUD and his/her head position can be anywhere in a rather large motion box. To explore the magnitude of these aiming errors several F-15, F- 16, F-18, and F-22 transparency systems were measured from a total of 12 different eye positions centered around the HMD Eye (the HMD Eye was defined to be a point 1.25 inches to the right of the aircraft Design Eye). The collection of eye points for assessing HMT/D aiming accuracy were: HMD Eye, 3 inches left and right of HMD Eye, 2 inches above HMD Eye, and 2 inches forward of HMD Eye plus all combinations of these. Results from these measurements along with recommendations regarding means of assessing 'goodness' of correction algorithms are presented.

An often overlooked area of helmet-mounted display (HMD) design is that of good human factors engineering. Systems which pass bench testing with flying colors can often find less enthusiastic acceptance during fielding when good human factors engineering principles are not adhered to throughout the design process. This paper addresses lessons learned on the fielding of the AH-64 Apache Integrated Helmet and Display Sight System (IHADSS) and the Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS). These lessons are used to develop guidance for future HMDs in such diverse areas as: user adjustments, anthropometry, fit and comfort, manpower and personnel requirements, and equipment compatibility.

In order to conduct helmet-mounted display (HMD) helicopter research flights in daylight, two versions of a simulated degraded visual environment (SDVE) were developed. SDVE-1 consisted of a tailored fire-retardant black cloth hood that is draped over the pilot's helmeted head and ventilated with a standard personal ventilator. While SDVE-1 successfully eliminated troublesome reflections, improved display readability, and was reasonably comfortable, pilots reported disturbing sensations of sensory deprivation and isolation. SDVE-2 combined colored filters on the hood and helicopter windscreen to allow the pilot a view of the cockpit interior while blocking light from the external environment. This system has been well accepted and has facilitated safe in- flight HMD research. Motion sickness remains an issue in HMD flight performance research.

An experiment was conducted to compare performances on operational tasks with and without new earth-fixed symbology representing the positions of waypoints, battle positions, and engagement areas. Fourteen experienced AH-64 Apache pilots flew a representative attack mission in the Pilot/Rotorcraft Intelligent Symbology Management Simulator (PRISMS). Performances were significantly better in waypoint crossing accuracy, landing accuracy, engagement area recognition accuracy, and concealment from enemy positions when using the new symbols.

Laboratory and flight test evaluations have consistently demonstrated the potential for helmet-mounted display (HMD) presented information to enhance air combat performance. The Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL's) Helmet-Mounted Sight Plus (HMS+) program seeks to provide further enhancement by enabling the presentation of multi-color symbology and sensor imagery. To take proper advantage of color-capable HMDs, systematic evaluations must be conducted to identify the best color-coding techniques. The experiment described here is the second we have conducted to address this need. The first experiment identified the better of two competing color coding strategies for air-to-air weapons symbology and indicated that pilots preferred the color codes over an otherwise equivalent monochrome baseline. The present experiment compared the 'winning' color code to the monochrome baseline during trials of a complex multi-player air-to-air weapon delivery scenario. Twelve fighter pilots representing three different countries (U.S., U.K., and Sweden) flew simulator trials that included target identification, intercept, attack, missile launch, and defensive maneuvering tasks. Participants' subjective feedback and performance data indicated a preference for color coded symbology.

The Tactical Visualization Module (TVM) research effort will develop and demonstrate a portable, tactical information system to enhance the situational awareness of individual warfighters and small military units by providing real-time access to manned and unmanned aircraft, tactically mobile robots, and unattended sensors. TVM consists of a family of portable and hand-held devices being advanced into a next- generation, embedded capability. It enables warfighters to visualize the tactical situation by providing real-time video, imagery, maps, floor plans, and 'fly-through' video on demand. When combined with unattended ground sensors, such as Combat- Q, TVM permits warfighters to validate and verify tactical targets. The use of TVM results in faster target engagement times, increased survivability, and reduction of the potential for fratricide. TVM technology can support both mounted and dismounted tactical forces involved in land, sea, and air warfighting operations. As a PCMCIA card, TVM can be embedded in portable, hand-held, and wearable PCs. Thus, it leverages emerging tactical displays including flat-panel, head-mounted displays. The end result of the program will be the demonstration of the system with U.S. Army and USMC personnel in an operational environment. Raytheon Systems Company, the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command -- Natick RDE Center (SSCOM- NRDEC) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are partners in developing and demonstrating the TVM technology.

Helmet Mounted Displays have become a baseline requirement for every fixed wing jet and rotary wing aircraft. While designing a system to meet the requirements for daytime operation, it is equally important to think ahead and have embedded options to upgrade the system to have it support night missions. Combining the different requirements during day and night drive a design that has to fit both missions beyond reasonable volume and weight. This makes a modular approach a more ideal solution. The modular design enables the pilot to switch from a day configuration to the night configuration in seconds. This approach also allows the use of various modules, so the aperture can pick the one that best fits his mission. Among these modules is the standard NVG, currently available in the squadron, which can be attached to the HMD shell. While allowing this flexibility, this design is also highly cost effective -- each pilot has his own fitted helmet shell and the display modules can be shared between all the pilots.

A novel approach to significantly increasing the field of view (FOV) of night vision goggles (NVGs) has been developed. This approach uses four image intensifier tubes instead of the usual two to produce a 100 degree wide FOV. A conceptual demonstrator device was fabricated in November 1995 and limited flight evaluations were performed. Further development of this approach continues with eleven advanced technology demonstrators delivered in March 1999 that feature five different design configurations. Some of the units will be earmarked for ejection seat equipped aircraft due to their low profile design allowing the goggle to be retained safely during and after ejection. Other deliverables will be more traditional in design approach and lends itself to transport and helicopter aircraft as well as ground personnel. Extensive safety-of-flight testing has been accomplished as a precursor to the F-15C operational utility evaluation flight testing at Nellis AFB that began in March 1999.

Current doctrine dictates a requirement for conducting 24-hour operations on the modern battlefield either in a rural or urban environment. To date, Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) along with Infrared sensors provide the bulk of vision aids that allow crew members to engage in tactical operations at night and during periods of low and reduced visibility. Since operations employing these devices, as well as operational doctrine, require the crewmember to fly 'heads-out,' Heads-Up Displays (HUDs), enumerating flight parameters, engine and navigation information have come into existence, greatly reducing the workload on today's combat aviators. A fine example is the Marconi/Tracor ANVS-7. This device employs a symbol generator and CRT to project symbology of critical aircraft parameters into the Night Vision Goggle giving the aviator a HUD capability while engaged in NVG night operations. The system is limited to aided vision night operations employing NVGs. The same criteria that create a need for supplying critical flight information at night exist for day and night unaided vision operations. However, there is no system in production to answer this obvious need. There are several reasons for this: (1) Available technology that will offer a low-cost solution for days ops, (2) Ergonomic and Human factors Issues, (3) Competition with currently fielded systems (ANVS-7), (4) Cost. Highly sophisticated HMDs such as the Apache IHADSS and the Comanche HIDSS, which combine navigation, targeting as well as weapons and flight status for 24 hour, all-weather operations are far too expensive and, in many cases, inappropriate for the majority of Combat Support aircraft. Using internal R&D Kaiser Electronics has developed a low-cost HMD -- called Lite Eye^TM HMD -- that is capable of being used in day and night operations that addresses the aforementioned issues. The solution, using recent advances in solid state display technology, maximizes the use of currently fielded equipment, with emphasis on logistics, maintainability, reliability and cost while meeting the performance requirements associated with tactical aviation. This paper will address the accomplishments of that development effort.

In order to understand the question of Tracker Accuracy Testing, one must first understand some of the complexities related to Tracker Accuracy Requirements. For example -- if a tracker system is said to have an accuracy of 2 miliradians -- does anyone know what this really means? And likewise, does anyone have the required test environment to accurately test such a specification? Under what conditions is the system accurate to 2 mR? In the lab? In an Aircraft, but on the ground? Airborne, but in a static situation? When looking forward through the HUD? All-Aspect, but in a small 'Motion Box?' -- These questions are only a few from a long list of variables that can change the meaning of 2 mR, or any accuracy number, by an order of magnitude or more. Once the performance or accuracy specification has been established, assuming the definition is clear and indisputable, the Testing Methodology should be defined as part of the system requirements. The cost of testing also comes into play and in many cases is the main constraint for determining the level of testing. This is true for any high-tech/high performance system, and especially for Helmet Mounted Trackers.

The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) incorporates a man-mounted, ejection-compatible helmet-mounted display system, with the capability to cue and verify cueing of high off-axis sensors and weapons, on U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy single-seat and two-seat fighter aircraft. Program requirements call for the JHMCS to meet a certain level of pointing accuracy. Pointing accuracy is defined as how close the JHMCS computed line of sight (LOS) is to the actual LOS of the pilot. In order to test the pointing accuracy of JHMCS throughout the pilot's range of motion, truth data had to be established sat various azimuths and elevations. Surveyed ground locations do not provide the ability to test at different helmet elevations. Airborne targets do not provide the measurement precision needed to validate system accuracy. Therefore, celestial bodies (stars), whose locations are precisely known for a given time and date at a specific location, will serve as truth data for LOS accuracy testing. This paper addresses the theory, planning, and status of JHMCS accuracy testing utilizing celestial bodies as reference points.

Integrating a Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS) in a fast jet is a challenging task. Successful integration is subjected to numerous factors, from which system latency is one of the most important. An excellent mounted cueing system design by itself may not satisfy the latency requirements at the aircraft level. The bigger latency is, the bigger the gap between real world situation and the interpretation of this situation as presented to the pilot through his HMCS. System latency may induce difficulties in target acquisition by the pilot and other sensors of the aircraft (missile, radar, FLIR, weapon, etc.), it reduces pilot situation awareness and degrades system accuracy and performance. These effects may vary in different avionics configurations as well as in diversified flight conditions. This paper discusses the nature of latency effects in aircraft level, latency operational characteristics and requirements, and recommends approaches and methods to help overcome these effects.

2For some of today's simulations very expensive, heavy, and large equipment is needed. In order to reduce prototyping and training costs, immersive 'Virtual Cockpit Simulation' (VCS) becomes very attractive. Head Mounted Displays (HMD), datagloves, and cheap 'Seating Bucks' are used to generate an immersive stereoscopic virtual environment (VE) for designers, engineers, and trainees. The entire cockpit, displays, and a visual are modeled as 3D computer generated geometry with textured surfaces. HMD resolution, field of view (FOV), tracker lag, and missing force feedback are critical human machine interface (HMI) components in VCS. For VCS applications task performance and transfer of training into reality have to be evaluated. In this paper two test series evaluating the VCS HMI dependencies based on HMD resolution and FOV are described. FOV limitations are especially important for a two seater virtual cockpit. Cross viewing, observing overhead, glareshield, and pedestal are critical for flying. Test persons had to deal with different FOV settings varying from 30 degrees to 100 degrees. Their task was to find and count light arbitrary points located at different panels in a limited time. To evaluate cross viewing test persons also had to detect light points besides them while reading text in front of them. Based on the test results a recommendation for a necessary FOV was given. The most demanding component for HMD resolution are virtual flight guidance displays rendered in a virtual scene at correct size and location. They consist of small moving low contrast symbols. Under a hi-resolution (1280 X 1024) HMD test persons were asked to read-out letters, numbers, and symbols of different sizes, movement speeds, and contrasts. Some test persons also had to fulfill an additional task to reduce their attention. From the test results a minimal necessary symbol, letter, and numbersize was determined for hi-resolution (hires) HMDs.

British Aerospace (BAe) have been involved in a number of Helmet Mounted Display programs over some twenty years. The continuing trials around the globe are indicative of the growing interest in Helmet Mounted Displays and recognition that today's Helmet Systems technology is becoming 'fit for purpose.' In 1997 BAe initiated a series of Simulation and Flight Trials of the latest Helmet System Technology for combat fixed wing aircraft. The focus of the R&D is to evaluate the Helmet System as an integrated part of the aircraft weapon system by establishing quantitative measures of operational performance. The comparison between different levels of sophistication of both aircraft integration and helmet capability in terms of the resultant operational performance will provide hard evidence to ensure that appropriate levels of Helmet System technology are matched to different platform capability. The basis of the 1997 trial was an assessment of the operational effectiveness of a simple Helmet Mounted Sight (HMS) system in short range air-to-air combat applicable to high off-boresight missiles such as ASRAAM and was carried out in a BAe Hawk 200 against Hawk target aircraft. Although Helmet Mounted Sights have been flight-tested in the past, the available information has generally been limited to the integration aspects and a qualitative assessment of the technology and less attention was paid towards a quantification of the system operational effectiveness. The 1997 program produced a strong foundation for assessing the cost-benefit of various capabilities of Helmet System planned for subsequent trials. The Flight Trial aircraft incorporated the Pilkington Optronics-Kentron Guardian^TM Helmet Mounted Sight System and of particular interest, the Helmet System included the latest Optical Helmet Tracking System technology. The trials included an assessment of the Helmet System technology and specifically, the integration aspects and performance of the Optical Helmet Tracking System. This paper provides an insight into the purpose and content of the trials. The installation requirements of the optical helmet tracking system are also presented together with the Helmet Tracking System installed performance.

The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) is a design program involving two airframe companies (Boeing and Lockheed Martin), two services (USAF and USN) and four aircraft platforms: the F-22, the F-16, the F/A-18 and the F-15. Developing equipment requirements for the combined operational and environmental needs of these diverse communities is a significant challenge. In addition, the team is geographically dispersed which presented challenges in communication and coordination. This paper details the lessons learned in producing a cost-effective design within a short development schedule and makes recommendations for future development programs.

Aircrews have always sought a tactical advantage within the visual range (WVR) arena -- usually defined as 'see the opponent first.' Even with radar and interrogation foe/friend (IFF) systems, the pilot who visually acquires his opponent first has a significant advantage. The Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS) equipped with a camera offers an opportunity to correct the problems with the previous approaches. By utilizing real-time image enhancement technique and feeding the image to the pilot on the HMD, the target can be visually acquired well beyond the range provided by the unaided eye. This paper will explore the camera and display requirements for such a system and place those requirements within the context of other requirements, such as weight.

Early military applications of head mounted displays (HMDs) used the miniature CRT as the image source. The optical configurations in these systems took on a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Over the past few years, newer miniature image source technologies have emerged as serious contenders to replace the miniature CRT. These include a number of different technologies that result in new and unique optical designs. With the availability of more optical design techniques & tools such as diamond turning, diffractive elements, graded index materials, etc., the optics now being developed take on forms with clear advantages over CRT based HMDs. This paper presents an overview of the HMD optical systems that have evolved for miliary applications, the functionality of the systems, and their relative performance capabilities.

This paper describes the integration and proposed flight test of the Simulation Program for Improved Rotorcraft Integration Technology (SPIRIT) II helmet-mounted display on the National Research Council of Canada Bell 205 Airborne Simulator. The helmet-mounted display is a wide field-of-view (80 degrees H X 41 degrees V with a 30 degree binocular overlap) high resolution display (1280 X 960 pixels in each eye). Colors are displayed using a field sequential process, whereby green and red laser light is pulsed and directed onto the surface of a reflective ferro-electric liquid crystal display. The prototype helmet-mounted display overlays red, amber, or green symbology on monochrome green imagery obtained from high resolution daylight cameras. The optical design of the display does not form an exit pupil. This allows the wearer greater freedom in movement and comfort due to looser helmet fit tolerances. The helmet-mounted display was integrated with a head tracker and camera platform to form a visually coupled system on the National Research Council of Canada Bell 205. The integration process and flight test plan will be discussed.

The United States Air Force Research Laboratory's NF-16D Variable-stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) is a unique aircraft that performs a multitude of missions, including research, development, test, and evaluation in the areas of flying qualities, flight control design, pilot- vehicle interface, and weapons and avionics integration as well as test pilot training. To enhance its mission effectiveness, VISTA has been upgraded through the addition of both a programmable Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD) and a programmable Head-Up Display (HUD) in the front cockpit. The programmable HMD system consists of a Marconi Avionics Viper IV Helmet-Mounted Optics Module integrated with a modified Helmet Integrated Systems Limited (HISL) HGU-86/P helmet, the Honeywell Advanced Metal Tolerant tracker, and a Marconi Avionics Programmable Display Generator. This paper describes the developmental flight testing which has recently been completed on VISTA with this programmable HMD system. Lessons- learned in the development, safety-of-flight clearance process, and flight test evaluation of this system are presented.

Recently two commercial airliners have been lost after the aircrew reported smoke within the cockpit. Even though the aircrews were able to don oxygen masks, the aircraft were lost. Contributing to these losses was an inability of the aircrew to read the instrument panel. A recent development incorporates a plastic bag on the instrument panel. This bag inflates and allows the aircrew a better opportunity to read the instruments. Although such a system is a marked improvement, incorporating a display function in the oxygen mask would improve the aircrew's ability to read the instruments and keep the aircrew in the critical 'heads-up' position. This paper details a preliminary set of requirements for a display/tracking system in the aircrew's oxygen masks.

Aircrew safety is paramount in the design of a helmet-mounted display (HMD). For the tactical aircrew, ensuring a successful ejection presents significant design challenges. The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) Integrated Product Team (IPT) has been evaluating Vision Systems International's HMD design for aircrew protection in this environment. The JHMCS IPT has developed a set of test objectives in concert with acquisition reform to demonstrate ejection compatibility of the JHMCS. This testing series will be discussed, and will include windblast, ejection tower, and sled and in-flight ejection testing, findings and design impacts. JHMCS performance parameters evaluated include structural integrity, facial and head protection, neck tensile loads, ejection seat and crew equipment compatibility, and mechanical functionality. The design environment for the JHMCS currently is both small and large, male and female aircrew withstanding a successful 450-knot ejection in any of four current USAF & USN tactical aircraft platforms.

MicroDisplay liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display devices are based on a combination of technologies combined with the extreme integration capability of conventionally fabricated CMOS substrates. Two recent SVGA (800 X 600) pixel resolution designs were demonstrated based on 10 micron and 12.5-micron pixel pitch architectures. The resulting microdisplays measure approximately 10 mm and 12 mm in diagonal respectively. Further, an XGA (1024 X 768) resolution display fabricated with a 12.5-micron pixel pitch with a 16-mm diagonal was also demonstrated. Both the larger SVGA and the XGA design were based on the same 12.5-micron pixel-pitch design, demonstrating a quickly scalable design architecture for rapid prototyping life-cycles. All three microdisplay designs described above function in grayscale and high-performance Field-Sequential-Color (FSC) operating modes. The fast liquid crystal operating modes and new scalable high- performance pixel addressing architectures presented in this paper enable substantially improved color, contrast, and brightness while still satisfying the optical, packaging, and power requirements of portable commercial and defense applications including ultra-portable helmet, eyeglass, and heat-mounted systems. The entire suite of The MicroDisplay Corporation's technologies was devised to create a line of mixed-signal application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) in single-chip display systems. Mixed-signal circuits can integrate computing, memory, and communication circuitry on the same substrate as the display drivers and pixel array for a multifunctional complete system-on-a-chip. For helmet and head-mounted displays this can include capabilities such as the incorporation of customized symbology and information storage directly on the display substrate. System-on-a-chip benefits also include reduced head supported weight requirements through the elimination of off-chip drive electronics.

A miniature 1280 by 1024 transmissive active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) was developed for the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter head-mounted displays and other military applications. The display has an active area of 15.4 mm by 12.3 mm with a diagonal of 19.7 mm (0.77 inches). The display has a 12 micrometer pixel pitch, yet a clear optical aperture of over 30% was achieved by using a 0.8 micrometer CMOS design rule for the active-matrix circuit fabrication. The fabrication process used was similar to that of Kopin's commercial CyberDisplay AMLCD's, which produces high performance, high reliability devices. To achieve low temperature operation to -40 C, the display was designed with an integrated thermal sensor to allow control of a heater. Display test results include contrast ratios over 100, continuous gray scale, fast response times for 60 Hz operation, and the ability to show both gray-scale images and symbology at display luminescence levels over 2,000 foot- Lamberts brightness. This latter result will enable this display to be used in systems with full sunlight readability requirements. The design, fabrication, and characterization of this display are discussed.

The Virtual Retinal Display^TM (VRD^TM) technology is a new display technology being developed at Microvision Inc. The displayed image is scanned onto the viewer's retina using low- power red, green, and blue light sources. Microvision's proprietary miniaturized scanner designs make VRD system very well suited for head-mounted displays. In this paper we discuss some of the advantages of the VRD technology, various ocular designs for HMD and other applications, and details of constructing a system MTF budget for laser scanning systems that includes electronics, modulators, scanners, and optics.

The advent of flat panel display technology has created new thermal challenges for the integration of the image sources into helmet mounted displays. Each of the leading display technologies, when driven to high brightness, leads to heat dissipation challenges. For the higher brightness displays it will be shown that active cooling systems are necessary. Further discussions suggest that display peak brightness and resulting heat output may be reduced to mitigate some of the thermal control problems.

The increasing need for information being demanded by the battlefield commander in order to increase and maintain overall situational awareness in execution of the battle plan has caused a proliferation of devices and methods to be evaluated in Army Warfighting Experiments (AWEs). The results are often technology driving requirements without sufficient consideration given to the requirements of the soldier in battle. We are witnessing an overload of information being imposed on both the commander and the individual soldier, employing equipment capable of providing information from numerous sources across multiple, non-compatible platforms. Displays for this information range from large, power-hungry, big screen TVs to small, rugged computers and head-mounted displays (HMDs) for the individual combat soldier. The former requires large power supplies and is not suitable for a mobile army; the latter offers poor resolution and interferes with the duties of a soldier in combat. While we must continue to explore technology to solve some of the problems on the modern battlefield, we, as developers of technology, cannot lose sight of the purpose of the combat soldier: To wage war on a highly complex and mobile battlefield, whether it be in a country or urban environment; to seek out the enemy, engage him, destroy his ability to fight.

This paper is a report of work in progress toward the development and testing of a computer interface mounted in eyewear, and capable of both input and output functions. The unique feature of this interface is the use of advanced embedded optical techniques to form eyeglass lenses capable of relaying images internally, without significant optical components in front of the user's face. These optical techniques make possible the incorporation of both a camera and display within eyeglasses. The interface also includes audio input and output. The paper discusses methods of constructing such an interface, design considerations, and will describe work in progress to realize working models.

The United States Army introduced Helmet Mounted Displays (HMD) into its weapon inventory over fifteen years ago with the fielding of the AH-64 Attack Helicopter. To date the Integrated Helmet and Display Sight System (IHADSS) is still the only fielded HMD in the Army inventory. The HMD contractor community can expect the Army to increase the utility of HMDs in the next decade on a variety of weapon platforms. This is evident through such development programs as Land Warrior and Comanche, and advanced developments such as Air Warrior, Mounted Warrior, and the Driver Vehicle Enhancement Program. Should these programs continue to mature into production, we can expect to see HMD technology proliferate on several more solider, vehicle and aircraft platforms. The U.S. Army is setting in motion a massive force restructuring under Force XXI and Army After Next doctrines. These force structures of the future call out for significantly increased reliability requirements in new technology material acquisition, and methods for how these technologies are sustained on the battlefield. HMD contractors, along with the rest of the defense industry, will be directly impacted by these revolutionary requirements. The changes forthcoming bring challenges and new opportunities both in the laboratory and through the logistical support contractors are expected provide. This paper identifies some of the challenges HMD contractors will face as the Army moves forward to integrate HMDs on a multitude of legacy and newly developed weapon platforms. It sets the stage with a summary of events that occurred in 1990 when Honeywell was tasked by the Army to support IHADSS repair during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. It then examines some of the future changes we as contractors can expect from the Army in future material development and product support.

An Active Matrix Electroluminescent (AMEL) miniature display is reported with over 1000fL luminance. This technology is demonstrated on a 0.7-inch diagonal 640 X 480 display. This achievement was made possible primarily through improvements in the AMEL design and process technology. Additionally, by addressing the display with only one bit of grayscale data, more of the frame time is available for applying light generating voltage pulses to the phosphor. This paper discusses the key characteristics of this display, including luminance, contrast, and power consumption. Details of luminance and grayscale tradeoffs are explained. System drive electronics used to interface this display to common video sources are also described.