Improvised Device Defeat/Explosives Countermeasures (IDD/EC)

5.3 Improvised Device Defeat/Explosives Countermeasures (IDD/EC)

Develop a heads up display (HUD) capability for the bomb suit helmet. The HUD must have the ability to be turned on and off on command (e.g., manually or by voice command), display information about the bomb suit (battery life, fan speed, etc.) as well as air consumption, air time remaining (when used in conjunction with a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)). Desirable functions include an expandable system for displaying additional information of potential use to the bomb technician, such as bio-sensor generated vital statistics of the user, and information from external sensors such as chemical, biological, and radiological detectors. The HUD must be compatible with all current generation bomb suits, irrespective of the manufacturer. It is desired that the HUD have the ability to retrofit to older bomb suits, as well as be adaptable to emerging bomb suit designs. The HUD must not interfere with the ability to use an SCBA system. When the HUD is displayed on the bomb suit helmet visor, it must not interfere with the bomb technician’s field of view, depth of field, or peripheral vision. The HUD must not in any way reduce the level of physical protection provided by the bomb suit or helmet.

Design, develop and fabricate a Multi-Fit Helmet Liner system based on the following details: The Multi-fit Helmet Liner system shall have the ability to be quickly installed within the EOD helmet and be adjustable, allowing an operator to optimize fit of the EOD helmet in a deployed setting with minimal support equipment.

Develop a personal ECM Verification system that will be worn by EOD personnel during counter-IED missions. The verification module must work with existing EOD ECM systems. The subject ECM systems should send out, with a predetermined periodicity, an encrypted signal with the system’s “health” information. The transceivers located with the EOD operators shall decode the information and display the data in the same manner as seen by the primary operator. This would enable all the EOD operators in the immediate area to gain ECM status information. Additionally, the system shall be capable of providing distance from the ECM system by having the ECM system send a ping signal with a unique identifier to a given transponder. The transponder would send a return signal to the ECM system and distance could be calculated. This would allow for a warning signal to go off if the transponder is further than a given pre-set distance (e.g., 100 ft) transponder. The system shall also operate to the following parameters: An operating temperature between -25 °F to 140 °F; operating time on a single charge: 5 hours (Threshold) to 8 hours (Objective); system weight: less than or equal to 2 pounds; shall be either worn by the user or attached to personal protective equipment. Additionally, the system shall use common batteries (e.g., AA, AAA, or 123A) and have selectable alarms that can be used based on mission profile; audio, visual, vibration, or a combination thereof.

Develop a 3D X-ray imaging system to interrogate suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and identify critical component locations prior to disruption of the IED. The system shall be one-man portable and able to be deployed robotically. The 3D X-ray capability should provide true 3D images with detail comparable or superior to current 2D systems, and relational depth of components, not a 2D orthographic projection like that provided by current software. The system should be light enough, 50 pounds (Objective) to 70 pounds (Threshold), to be employed by a single bomb technician wearing personal protective equipment, or mounted on robotic platforms such as the Talon or Remotec F6A. When operated without a robot, and with its own power supply, it should be able to be operated remotely via tether (Threshold) or wirelessly (Objective). Image acquisition time should be between 5 minutes (Objective) to 10 minutes (Threshold). Image resolution should be between 1.5 lp/mm (Threshold) and 3.5 lp/mm (Objective). Operating temperature range should be -25 °F to 140 °F. Under its own power, the tool should be able to operate for 45 minutes on a single charge, and render a minimum of three complete images. User interface should allow for rendered images to be rotated on 3-axes and allow for users to pan and zoom in on regions of interest within the volume of the image.

The current best practices for disposing of pyrotechnics and fireworks are to burn them. Due to recent EPA regulations, this method will not be acceptable in the near future. In addition, bomb squads are currently faced with storage and destruction issues related to these hazardous materials. The purpose of this effort is to develop an EPA approved mobile treatment/destruction system for pyrotechnic materials in bulk quantities. Substances produced as a result of treatment or destruction of pyrotechnics should be inert and should not present environmental or health hazards, either during the operation or after completion. The system developed should be mobile and readily deployable to multiple locations over potentially wide geographic regions (for example, the western United States). The proposed solution should be capable of treating hundreds to thousands of pounds of pyrotechnics in a reasonable timeframe (hours to days). With sufficient training, the proposed process should represent a substantially safer solution to the operator than current open burning methods.