Next-generation tanks will ditch ‘human senses’ for ‘algorithms and cameras’

The new military initiative is an attempt to protect the lives of drivers that currently poke their heads out to observe their surroundings.

Gene Klager, the deputy director for the Ground Combat Systems Division, said: “Right now, the commander and the driver have their heads out of the hatch, using their own human senses.

“Soldiers are vulnerable to snipers and IEDs, and there are challenges with being able see all around the vehicle.”

The next-generation of tanks are set to be equipped with a variation of infrared and visible-light cameras to provide the driver inside the tank with a 360-degree view of their surroundings.

Developers are currently determining how many cameras will be needed to ensure a view comparable to human vision.

Current estimates predict that four to six cameras would provide tank operators with a great enough field of view to detect a man 200 meters away.

Mr Klager added: “The primary challenge is to find the least number of cameras that you can position around the vehicle that have the resolution you need.”

He also told Defense News: “You want enough resolution to be able to see clearly, but more resolution means a narrower field of view, and that requires more cameras. That’s the trade-off.”

The planned infrared cameras will be used to detect heat, however the cameras need to be cooled to ensure the devices are as quiet as possible.

Current uncooled cameras provide a high-quality image thanks to their detection mechanisms that account for minute changes in the environment.

However, Mr Klager has stated that a quota of cameras on the newly envisioned vehicles is essential.

He claimed: “At some point, you can’t just keep adding sensors on the outside of a vehicle: You’re going to run out of real estate or you are going to run right out of money.

“So we like this concept of multifunction, one sensor, uncooled, with a variety of capabilities.”

Algorithms onboard the tanks will be essential in delivering vital sensor enhancements that are one of the key reasons for ditching human senses.

A combination of algorithms and cameras is essential to ensure only relevant targets are highlighted.

Mr Klager went on: “It’s about looking at different things within the imagery. The challenge is in having a high probability of detection with low false alarms.

“You could have an algorithm to detect everything, but it would tend to detect things that you don’t want to detect.

“You need algorithms to be able discriminate certain types of signals.

“The false alarms have to be low. That is a key criterion for success.”