With what appears to be a gadget straight out of Star Wars, a Ukrainian developmental agency by the name of Innovations Development Platform is looking for international partners and possibly investors to take part in the agencies Limpid Armor product. Using an already developed tech item from Microsoft, the HoloLens, Limpid Armor is taking it a step further and has worked through combining HoloLens with armored vehicles and video cameras surrounding the armored vehicle. The Microsoft HoloLens is originally designed to be optimal for generated holographs through the user-worn headset. However, Innovations Development Platform realized the potential of hooking it up to a helmet and essentially replacing holographs with streaming video from the outside of an armored vehicle.

Historically one of the biggest issues for crews of any armored vehicle is when it is “buttoned up” so as to be more protected against incoming enemy fire. Although protected, it doesn’t afford much situational awareness when maneuvering or looking out for the enemy. This device is trying to break that mold.

What we should be focused on here is the small arms aspect of the device. Specifically about how it interfaces with the various weapon systems in the armored vehicle. If reliable and proven, it appears that a gunner can acquire a target, possibly choose a weapon system, aim, and fire all within the confined safety of the vehicle, with much great flexibility than before. With the ever-growing advent of RCWS turrets on the market and many main gun systems being automatic already, it would seem like this is a perfect pairing of already developed technology. The IDF has expressed interest in the technology but in a completely different setting through training instead. Also, interestingly enough a company in Europe has developed a very similar VR headset program but has focused it solely on training purposes and not live video streams.

Of course, once the giant Cyclops was blinded, he was much less threatening to Odysseus and his sailors. This Limpid Armor system is completely dependent on the video feeds from the outside of the vehicle. If these feeds are destroyed, interrupted, or even uncalibrated, the system would become a hindrance instead of an asset.

In addition, one of the reasons as to why this agency is seeking international help is probably because of how volatile the Ukraine situation is for so many countries in the world, supporting one side or the other.