State-of-the-Art GPS Tracking Technology to Be Stitched into UK Soldier’s Clothing
12 May 2015GPS tracking technology is making is possible to find missing soldiers in the middle of nowhere. A Limerick, Ireland company has developed a tiny, but extremely accurate tracking unit that can be stitched into a soldier’s uniform.
What makes it so accurate is the fact that each unit can access an array of satellites, owned by the U.S., Russia and European countries, instead of just one satellite. Since the unit is wearable, it goes where the soldier goes.
The Israeli army is also considering embedding GPS in uniforms. They goal is to track the movements of soldiers in real time and help reduce the problem of injuries and death from friendly fire.
Power Innovations
The British military is also investigating solar-powered uniforms that get their energy from the sun and from the soldier’s body at night.
The energy produced could provide a reliable source of power for GPS, as well as radios and weapons. Currently technology uses battery packs, which weigh twice as much or more as the proposed solar uniforms would.
As reported by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, the fabric in the uniforms uses advanced lightweight batteries, thermoelectric devices, and solar photovoltaic cells.
According to reports presented to the American Chemical Society, scientists are also looking into the technology of weaving directly into the fabric of ballistic vests and uniforms materials that act as rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
The fabric is the battery, which could provide power for high-tech devices of all types , including GPS. In the private sector, it could be used in cellphones.
This system is made to absorb heat. Experts say this fact might make the uniform into a type of sci-fi stealth cloak, making a soldier less obvious to infrared cameras.
The Modern Military Relies on GPS
The U.S. armed services currently make extensive use of GPS technology in today’s military actions. Soldiers carry GPS tracking devices. They are also attached to vehicles and aircraft, including F-16 fighter jets, warships, minesweepers and aerial tankers.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, uses them on all vehicles. The devices are considered standard for soldiers. NATO intelligence relies on the detailed images provided by GPS.
The British military is also planning to use the technology for inventory monitoring. The European Space Agency is a big user, as are private companies that work with drones and vehicles.
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