The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is seeking the next generation of night vision technology.
In a solicitation, DARPA said it was looking for night vision goggles that “would be lighter, use more of the infrared spectrum and allow a soldier to share his view with his squadmates digitally,” according to Army Times:
The new gear must offer 20/20 vision “at clear starlight,” according to the solicitation, weigh less than current systems and hold up to existing durability standards. The system would be able to switch in and out of night vision mode in an instant — when a soldier moves from well-lit street into a dark alley, for example, offering what the solicitation calls “all-condition viewing.”
It’ll also need to run for 24 hours on a full charge and “support interface with tactical computing elements and communication systems, to include the transmission of sound and video to other team members.”
A lighter night vision system would cut down on neck pain, which has been a serious issue among soldiers, Army Times reported.