Haptic belt


I think we all know that soldiers have to make split-second decisions in order to survive. I suppose this is why scientists are working on a haptic belt that can transmits GPS directions to soldiers out on the field.

Instead of a soldier looking at a GPS handheld to figure out where he or she is going, the soldier wears a belt with haptic feedback. This belt has over eight “tactors” that are spaced out in 45 degree intervals, and when one of them vibrates, this indicates where the soldier should be going.

There is even the possibility of wirelessly linking the belt to a gesture recognizing glove, so that the leader can issue commands to multiple haptic belts. This can be done from a secured location, from miles away.

I suppose that now is the time to question if this technology is really necessary. I mean, I think that we all need some guidance, but this borders on the possibility of remote control people. I mean, once we start telling soldiers where to go, are we going to have haptic feedback belts to tell the soldiers specifically what to do?

Yeah, we are really living in a science fiction era, and that applies to the military as well. Let’s hope this doesn’t get all dystopian on us.

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