The Army Is Testing Cutting Edge, Halo-Like Helmets

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Nic Halverson for Discovery News 2013-10-27 04:00:50 UTC

The U.S. Army is no stranger to enticing new recruits with video games, so it doesn’t come as much surprise that the Army is testing a new helmet that looks like headwear from the Halo video game franchise.

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The Helmet Electronics and Display System-Upgradeable Protection — better known as HEaDS-UP — may look like battle gear for fictional interstellar warfare, but the helmet goes way beyond fun and games.

Developed by ballistic eyewear company Revision, the modular HEaDS-UP system is composed of a standard Army helmet with expanded features that protect the head, neck and face. The add-ons include a see-through ballistic visor and a mandible face mask that protects against 9-mm ammunition and offers better eye, face and hearing protection than existing helmets.

Most notable are the display technologies that can be projected on the inside of the visor. Though there aren’t any specifics on the projected displays yet, it’s safe to assume there could be images of battlefield maps, targets, health monitors, communications and other Google Glass-type tech.

At a recent demonstration for the Army, the HEaDS-UP helmet featured integrated electronics, a display powered by an Android smartphone, plus a liner system that met new 14-feet-per-second impact requirements to reduce traumatic brain injuries.

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HEaDS-UP is the culmination of a four-year research project from the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. ”You traditionally had helmets where people velcro-ed duct-taped on components,” Brian Dowling, Revision’s Military Program Manager and Army special operations veteran, told Kit Up! “The HEaDS-UP program has really taken head protection to the next step for Natick.”

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Image: Flickr, Eric Havir