U.S. infantry to sense through walls?

[akd]

New Device Will Sense Through Concrete Walls

American Forces Press Service | Donna Miles | January 03, 2006

WASHINGTON - Troops conducting urban operations soon will have the capabilities of superheroes, being able to sense through 12 inches of concrete to determine if someone is inside a building.

The new "Radar Scope" will give warfighters searching a building the ability to tell within seconds if someone is in the next room, Edward Baranoski from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Special Projects Office, told the American Forces Press Service.

By simply holding the portable, handheld device up to a wall, users will be able to detect movements as small as breathing, he said.

The Radar Scope, developed by DARPA, is expected to be fielded to troops in Iraq as soon as this spring, Baranoski said. The device is likely to be fielded to the squad level, for use by troops going door to door in search of terrorists.

The Radar Scope will give warfighters the capability to sense through a foot of concrete and 50 feet beyond that into a room, Baranoski explained.

It will bring to the fight what larger, commercially available motion detectors couldn't, he said. Weighing just a pound and a half, the Radar Scope will be about the size of a telephone handset and cost just about $1,000, making it light enough for a soldier to carry and inexpensive enough to be fielded widely.

The Radar Scope will be waterproof and rugged, and will run on AA batteries, he said.

"It may not change how four-man stacks go into a room (during clearing operations)," Baranoski said. "But as they go into a building, it can help them prioritize what rooms they go into. It will give them an extra degree of knowledge so they know if someone is inside."

Even as the organization hurries to get the devices to combat forces, DARPA already is laying groundwork for bigger plans that build on this technology.

Proposals are expected this week for the new "Visi Building" technology that's more than a motion detector. It will actually "see" through multiple walls, penetrating entire buildings to show floor plans, locations of occupants and placement of materials such as weapons caches, Baranoski said.

"It will give (troops) a lot of opportunity to stake out buildings and really see inside," he said. "It will go a long way in extending their surveillance capabilities."

The device is expected to take several years to develop. Ultimately, servicemembers will be able to use it simply by driving or flying by the structure under surveillance, Baranoski said

Now, I have some doubts as to how practical this device would be in the field and whether or not it would prove a force multiplier, but it is a cool concept.

[YankeeDog]

Interesting.

From what little I know about how motion sensors work, I would think that a device that could detect motions "as small as breathing" through 12 inches of concrete would tend to yield a lot of false positives, and/or be easily fooled by some rather simple countertechniques.

But then again, lacking a security clearance, there's probably lots of newfangled gizmos whose capabilities I am completely unaware of.

Hopefully, someone is doing their homework and extensively testing this thing in mock-combat, with the some really on-the-ball guys playing red force really trying to break and fool it, before it gets used in real combat, against enemies firing real bullets. . .

[DASman]

DARPA is in charge of getting new technology done for the governemnt on a as needed basis. I saw the white paper on this device. It is a force multiplyer when used as intended.

E

[gunnersman]

Originally posted by akd:

"It may not change how four-man stacks go into a room (during clearing operations)," Baranoski said. "But as they go into a building, it can help them prioritize what rooms they go into. It will give them an extra degree of knowledge so they know if someone is inside."

[Peter Cairns]

Of course if it is a radra device then there is the possibility that the instant you turn it on to find if there is someone in the next room. any opponent with a range finder up to a mile away knows exactly where you are.

It's find against a low tech opponent, but it should be greeted with caution. An opponent that can rig a sophisticated IED, might well be able to rig a backpack full of semtex to go off when one of these things is turned on in the room next door, and then it's Bye, bye, detector, bye bye, squad, bye bye building.

Peter.

[John D Salt]

Originally posted by YankeeDog:

[snips]

But then again, lacking a security clearance, there's probably lots of newfangled gizmos whose capabilities I am completely unaware of.

See, the main reason they give people security clearances is so that they can make sure they don't reveal the secret that there aren't a whole lot of newfangled gizmos whose capabilities you are completely unaware of.

That, and to conceal gross incompetence in various agencies of the defence ministry.

All the best,

John.

[Battlefront.com]

I think they sent prototypes into the field last year and the reports back were extremely positive.

Peter, I don't see the issue. If you can rig an IED to go off when one of these devices is used, you could just as well put a low tech trigger plate or tripwire and achieve a much more better (at least predictable) result. So low or high tech enemies, I don't think there is a real downside to this new sensor.

Steve

[John D Salt]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

[snips]

you could just as well put a low tech trigger plate or tripwire and achieve a much more better (at least predictable) result.

"Much more better"?

What part of Cornwall are you from, me 'andsome?

All the best,

John.

[Elmar Bijlsma]

I'm intrigued as to the new military grade wheel barrow they will commision in order for soldiers to carry all their gear.

I mean, nice capability and all but isn't this just a move by people in denial about the fact infantry men are placed in dangerous situations. Isn't there a point where you need to stop trying to completely R&D the danger out of combat? I'm not saying you throw the grunts out of the hatch naked and arm them with slingshots but I am beginning to feel the US army is begin to exagerrate and not getting the bang for their buck. Every amazing new device is a couple of boots on the ground less.

[Beastttt]

the easy counter would be to scan the building from the outside just to trip any boobytraps(yes I know you will not see anything but the IED might be set off prematurely getting the insurgents)

Originally posted by Peter Cairns:

Of course if it is a radra device then there is the possibility that the instant you turn it on to find if there is someone in the next room. any opponent with a range finder up to a mile away knows exactly where you are.

It's find against a low tech opponent, but it should be greeted with caution. An opponent that can rig a sophisticated IED, might well be able to rig a backpack full of semtex to go off when one of these things is turned on in the room next door, and then it's Bye, bye, detector, bye bye, squad, bye bye building.

Peter.

[Battlefront.com]

John,

What part of Cornwall are you from, me 'andsome?

Dang! My weekend in Cornwall 15 years ago must have damaged more braincells than I thought. Blast!

Elmar, yes this is always the concern. However, I think this device is quite useful in low intensity conflicts. In such cases there is a bit of luxury about "home invasions". I don't see this as being that useful for a knock-down street fight.

Beasttt, exactly. This is why the insurgents have to keep switching their trigger devices. High tech triggers, like cell phones, can be countered by high tech devices (like jammers and detonators). A pressure plate is much, much harder to defeat. And if it is triggered you know that at least ONE of the enemy is in the kill zone.

Steve

[akd]

You know, the police need this. Might have saved a Fort Worth PD officer's life last year.

[gunnersman]

Apparently it is part of something bigger...

http://www.house.gov/hasc/openingstatementsandpressreleases/107thcongress/01-03-22petroff.html

The part about through wall sensing is almost half the way down.

Here is the company that makes the "Soldier Vision":

http://www.radarvision.com/SoldierVision/sv.htm

Here is the Parent company:

http://www.timedomain.com/

PDF document of "Soldier Vision" from the Soldier Vision website.

http://www.radarvision.com/files/pdf/cutsheet/SV_cutsheet_Aug04.pdf

There is also a video you can watch of the Soldier Vision in use...well, its an advertisement.

And no I am not in anyway affiliated with Soldier Vision or Timedomain....I just think this is frickn' COOL! Or in other words....much mo' bettah.

This is like something from "Aliens 2".

[ January 05, 2006, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: gunnersman ]

[lucero1148]

The alternative to this radar is the tried and true Syrian technique pioneer by the 1st Pres. Assad. Just blow the building up! Why bother searching.

[John D Salt]

Originally posted by Elmar Bijlsma:

I'm intrigued as to the new military grade wheel barrow they will commision in order for soldiers to carry all their gear.

A very good question. A few years ago, Sydney Jary wrote a piece for the British Army Review called "Bring Back my Carrier", in which he proposed a low-profile, all-terrain, remote-controlled vehicle to act as a sort of high-tech infanteer's barrow.

Originally posted by Elmar Bijlsma:

Isn't there a point where you need to stop trying to completely R&D the danger out of combat?

The point of R&D into Buck Rogers wonder-junk is not to reduce the danger of combat, it is to make money for defence contractors. When you propose a remote-control infantry load-carrier to the defence procurement people, they go to sleep; when you propose devices that give you magical X-Ray vision, they say "Oooh, SHINY!" and order some.

All the best,

John.

[Peter Cairns]

Setting a trip wire also kills any civilians entering the room or building, ( as does detonating the IED by scanning from outside).

A trip wire also kills any of your men that move back in and given the fluid nature of MOUT and the lack of C3 and organisation of the insurgents is a real possibility.

A detonation system geared specifically for the Radar detector avoids all of these and specifically targets only the enemy.

Peter.

[Goatsee]

May be of interest

A03-012 TITLE: Remote Sensing of the Electro-Magnetic Potential of the Human Heart

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Biomedical, Sensors

OBJECTIVE: Design and build a device that can remotely detect the electronic signature of the beating human heart. The device would be portable, preferably give range and direction of the signal, and be able to work in high electronic noise environments.

DESCRIPTION: Advances in electronic signal detection and filtering technology could make it possible to remotely detect the electronic signal given off by the beating human heart. The human heart has a specific electronic signature that could be detected by filtering out the noise using modern electronic filtering technologies. Uses of such a device are numerous. A handheld version could be used by a medic in the field to determine the heart rate of wounded soldiers. By further refining such a device to detect through walls and obstructions, it could be used by soldiers in urban environments to determine how many individuals are in a room that is about to be entered and cleared. The signature could be detected using active doppler radar to sense the movement of the heart. The use of MEMS devices (gyroscopic) could be incorporated into the device in order to minimize the size needed as well as provide a means of canceling the doppler noise effects from the relative movement of the soldier carrying the device. It is expected that the weight of the system be approximately 5 to 10 lbs. and that the sensing range should be between 20 and 50 feet. If the sensing range of the device can be increased, then it could augment other sensing devices such as infrared and light amplification. With a longer range capability, this technology can be used in a telescopic sight on small arms/rifles to detect where enemy soldiers might be hiding.

PHASE I: Develop and build a proof-of-principle device using breadboard components that would show that the concept is feasible.

PHASE II: Develop and demonstrate a prototype of the human heart sensor.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: For military applications, it is expected that this technology can be incorporated into the gun sight of small arms. Commerciallly, this technology would have applications in the medical industry. It would also have applications in security/police forces for detection and surveillance of individuals.

REFERENCES:

1) http://www.biofind.com/business/opportunity_search_details.asp?OpportunityId=110

2) http://www.darpa.mil/DSO/thrust/sp/metaEng/quasar.html

3) E.F. Grenecker, "Radar Sensing of Heartbeat and Respiration at a Distance with Security Applications," Proceedings of SPIE, Radar Sensor Technology II, Volume 3066, Orlando, Florida, pp. 22-27, April, 1997.

KEYWORDS: Sensors, electrocardiogram(EKG), remote detection, tracking, surveillance, heart rate, heart rhythm

[Battlefront.com]

John,

When you propose a remote-control infantry load-carrier to the defence procurement people, they go to sleep;

The US is FINALLY getting back into the game on this stuff. They tried some commercial solutions in Afghanistan and Iraq, but they were failures. They should just bring back the 1950s designed M274 MULE. The fact that I own one, and think it is the greatest vehicle known to man, is not biasing my opinion at all

There is a remote controlled infantry hauling vehicle on the US Army's slate of FCS (Future Combat Systems) vehicles. However, I think they are working on an interum solution since that is still years away. The use of the commercial stuff shows that they at least understand the need. Of course, that is only 1/10th of the procurement battle, eh?

Peter, unfortunately for US forces in Iraq, the insurgents are far more inventive than that. They use a variety of methods for arming and detonating IEDs. Despite all the fancy gizmos that the US has in the field now, including jammers and trigger detonators, IEDs go off all the time as they were intended to by the insurgents. They don't need anything fancy. Sometimes simplicity is the best counter, not more complexity (something I wish the US military procurement and R&D people could understand).

Steve

[Goatsee]

There is virtually nothing that anyone can do to stop a IED that is hardwired to a switch and battery. These weapons go back to WWI actually.

Another promising technology is this:

UNCLASSIFIED

FY 2003 Accomplishments: Project approval.

FY 2004 Plans: Contract prep/award. Conduct software incorporation into

communication devices and platform installation. Test and evaluation, reporting

conducted and completed. Training/tech data packages delivered. Production

decision/buys.

Service FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Spray Cool TM Counter Targeting System

(CTS)

Army

1.447

0.105

0.208

This project will evaluate a new technology insertion to enable spiral development of the

Counter Targeting System (CTS). CTS utilizes an infra-red (IR) sensor at high frame

rates to detect sniper, mortar, RPG, and large caliber weapons fires. This system will

assist in near real-time targeting and situational awareness for direct support of combat

troops in operations such as Iraq and Afghanistan. If successful, the Spraycool

technology will reduce CTS weight of 400+ pounds to less than 100 pounds. First test

articles will be field tested in Iraq.

Vendor: Isothermal Systems Research (ISR), Inc., Clarkston, WA

Program Office of Record: Army Intelligence and Security Command

FY 2003 Accomplishments: Project approval.

FY 2004 Plans: Contract prep/award. System development/integration.

Conduct/complete qualification testing/evaluation.

FY 2005 Plans: Tactical assessment. Safety release. Final evaluation report.

Procurement Decision. Transition plan.

[tar]

Design and build a device that can remotely detect the electronic signature of the beating human heart.

Didn't Dr. McCoy use one of these in one episode of the original Star Trek series?

[Cinnamon J. Scudworth]

Originally posted by Goatsee:

May be of interest

A03-012 TITLE: Remote Sensing of the Electro-Magnetic Potential of the Human Heart

Tom Clancy anyone?

[Midnight Warrior]

Here is a link to a wall penetrating/motion detection radar that uses ultra wide band technology.

web page

[gunnersman]

Originally posted by Mirage2k:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Goatsee:

May be of interest

A03-012 TITLE: Remote Sensing of the Electro-Magnetic Potential of the Human Heart

Tom Clancy anyone? </font>

[Bruce70]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

John,

There is a remote controlled infantry hauling vehicle on the US Army's slate of FCS (Future Combat Systems) vehicles. However, I think they are working on an interum solution since that is still years away. The use of the commercial stuff shows that they at least understand the need. Of course, that is only 1/10th of the procurement battle, eh?

Steve

There is also DARPAs "Big Dog" project - basically a big robotic semi-autonomous dog with saddle bags. It's not going to be available any time soon though.