The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is conducting a trial to assess a human-centred design approach for new head-mounted military equipment. The initiative, known as the HEADS UP project, aims to improve the performance of warfighters and minimise the risk of long-term injuries associated with such gear.
Modern soldiers are equipped with numerous capabilities, many of which are head-mounted, including night vision goggles and virtual or augmented reality systems. Increased mass on the head can lead to higher metabolic and thermal demands, increased biomechanical loading, neck muscle strain, and greater attentional and cognitive demands, all of which may affect performance.
Serving soldiers from regiments including the Queen’s Royal Hussars and Royal Engineers are participating in a research trial at the University of Chichester. They are wearing custom-designed rigs that simulate various head-mounted load configurations while performing military tasks.
Matt, the Dstl lead for the Human Augmentation project, stated that the trial places the soldier at the centre of new equipment design. He added that reducing negative effects like fatigue could improve performance, effectiveness, lethality, agility, and resilience.
A range of data is being collected, including movement speed, muscle activity, motion capture, metabolic cost, cognitive performance, and eye-tracking. This interdisciplinary assessment seeks to provide an understanding of how head-mounted equipment influences soldier performance. Professor Sam Blacker from the University of Chichester noted that the findings will support the Ministry of Defence in developing and adopting new capabilities using a human-centric approach.