New AR interface helps military and firefighters operate UAVs hands-free

Computer scientists and roboticists have unveiled a wide range of new tools to expand

human capabilities in critical missions,such as military operations or search and rescue. In these cases, UAVs become especially necessary because they can penetrate remote or dangerous areas where people may not survive. Researchers at Polytechnique Montréal have added an intuitive head-mounted visual interface for UAV controllers.

“Our research was born as a resultpartnership between industrial company Humanitas Solutions Inc. and the Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality Research Laboratory (LIRV) at the Université Polytechnique de Montréal under the direction of Professor Benoît Ozell, co-author of the recent study Dani Nasser Addin told TechXplore. “I was a graduate student, and this article is the result of my research over the past two years.”

Credit: Addin and Ozell.

The main purpose of this study byNasser Addin and his advisor Ozell, was to assess the potential of several technologies, such as AR, in giving people more control in critical situations. The researchers collaborated with people who periodically interviewed Montreal firefighters to better understand how new technologies could help them do their jobs.

“The aim of our research was to support the workof these firefighters in Montreal, flying a swarm of multiple drones with a single AR headset during an emergency, explains Nasser Addin in a TechXplore report. "To do this, we developed an augmented reality interface using the Magic Leap 1 headset, which can be used to control a swarm of UAVs in an emergency."

Credit: Addin and Ozell.

“Our goal was to assess whetherwhether AR will become an important tool in the future in critical situations, ”adds Addin. Notably, this new control system is completely hands-free, allowing undercover agents, military personnel on dangerous missions, and rescue firefighters to focus on work without being distracted by manual control of the UAV.

Interesting Engineering notes that opportunitiesAR UAV applications in critical scenarios are enormous. From preventing deaths during natural disasters, to containing early wildfires, to police and military action, drone swarms will reduce risks to users. But the question of whether these technologies will be used from an ethical point of view in all areas remains open.

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