US army soldiers in Afghanistan
Credit: WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty Images
The US Army is developing augmented reality goggles for dogs who are used in combat to help their handlers instruct them on the battlefield.
The technology is seen as potentially a better way to communicate with the dogs than the traditional hand signals or laser points.
The devices are made by a firm called Command Sight which is managed by the US Army Research Laboratory.
Dogs are used by the military in combat zones to scout ahead for devices such as explosives.
The idea is that the augmented reality goggles can project a visual indicator that encourages the dog to head towards a specific point.
A remote video feed would allow the handler to see exactly where the dog is at any given point in time.
Dr Stephen Lee, a senior scientist with the Army Research Laboratory, was quoted by the BBC explaining the idea.
"AR will be used to provide dogs with commands and cues; it’s not for the dog to interact with it like a human does," said Dr Lee.
He added: “The military working dog community is very excited about the potential of this technology."
Justin Bronk, research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank, told the BBC the idea could prove useful.
"An ability to direct dogs with visual cues through augmented reality goggles without having to maintain close physical proximity has obvious tactical benefits in a variety of situations," he said
Dr AJ Peper, the founder of Command Sight’s founder, was quoted by the BBC saying that the research was in its "beginning research stages" but that the early results had been "extremely promising".
It was unclear exactly when such technology could come into use.
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