Suit Electronics?

[jrsteensen]

Suit/Helmet electronic systems.

What would you like to see as what sort of systems?

What features, what requirements?

I'm interested in developing some electronics solutions, as I see it doesn't appear to be a niche that has been filled in my observations.

Please don't be unrealistic like, "HUD with crazy covenant people popping in..."

Sorry, not up to speed on altered reality. (Though a HUD is perfectly possible at some point in the future for other purposes....maybe ingrained GPS or somesuch...)

 

[jrsteensen]

Would a few IR lights be appreciated by anyone? Visible to night vision goggles, video cameras, etc, but not to the naked eye?

Its the same as a IR beacon, which is what we use downrange to make sure that that truck your about to blow up isn't a US HMMWV full of good guys...

 

[Gokussj5okazu]

I have many electronics developed for the weapons and armor including;

Ammo Counters
Effects Kits
Helmet Lighting
Loudspeaker
Fans
Body Lighting
Com System with IFF Tag Capability

and a couple more in production. If you have any ideas, I'd be glad to help ya.

 

[Chief Maverick]

How about helmet communications for Spartan and ODST helmet since they are enclosed, open marine helmets are easy .

 

[jrsteensen]

Well, I'd like to do two primary systems, one helmet, one primary suit system.

One thing I have experience with is good tactical lights that I use freqently at work.

Primarily for tactical situations you want two powers for your lights:

1) "Navigation" - This is dim but just bright enough to let you see what you are climbing through and over and such, however these are usually red in color so that they do not affect your night vision adversely.

2) Target Identification Lights - This is your seriously powerful spotlights that tend to allow you to positively identify a target before you engage (ie shoot.) them, and tends to disorient and blind your target when you shine them in their eyes.

 

[adventchildmatrix]

Would a few IR lights be appreciated by anyone? Visible to night vision goggles, video cameras, etc, but not to the naked eye?

Its the same as a IR beacon, which is what we use downrange to make sure that that truck your about to blow up isn't a US HMMWV full of good guys...

i had an idea about making night vision for helms (superbright IR LED's) using a camera LCD screen for viewing
however it was saverly canned by the 'elder' members of the forum

ul find it somewhere in the noob section probs page 8
if in dout use the search ull find it somewhere if you can develop this idea good let me know how it goes

 

[Chipdaily77]

I thought about this one time. I made of lists of all the things you could need in a helmet, mine was designed for airsoft.

I can't find my list but I can think of a few things. Fans and LED's are obvious, some sort of communication system since walkies talkies would be hard to use inside a helmet. If you could, some sort of night vision would be handy, I really like that IR LED idea. I could see a loud speaker system being handy, but mounting speakers in a helmet could be difficult. If you can get a loudspeaker system, or mini PA, a voice modifier could be fun. Being able to sound like Vader or a robot would be great.

It's not electronic, but you could but some sort of "beverage dispenser", modify one of those hats with the straws and you got yourself a self-hydrating helmet. Other than that, I can't think of anything that could be fitted inside a helmet. Most people have covered everything practical in this thread.

 

[L0neWolf]

All of that sounds cool, but for the hydration part you can buy a camel pack and put it inside the back of your armor and have the tube go through the back or side of the helmet and near your mouth. thats my 2 cents. Other than that VoodooChild named everything important.

 

[hlomaster55]

how would you get the water to flow, other than sucking on the other end, which would get really old really fast. And having a tube right next to your mouth could get pretty uncomfortable after a while. Its a good Idea that some one needs to elaborate on. I don't have any ideas, anyone?

 

[Gokussj5okazu]

So far, everything I have circuits for and have designed to fit inside a helmet include;

MP3 Player
Wireless Helmet to Loudspeaker (Broadcasts your voice outside the helmet)
Lighting
Fans

And that's about it. Just covering the bases, some of what you've all mentioned has been done.

 

[jrsteensen]

How many people wear a layer over their neck to hide it? How many would object to running some cabling underneath that to hide it?

 

[hlomaster55]

Hey, I wouldn't mind.

If you taped down the wires and put some paint over top of it, you won't really notice.

Besides most of it would be in your helmet and chest piece. But if you wanted some arm controls, you could attach a cable to your gauntlet.

 

[vanalla]

This is great!
Ideas..Ideas..Ideas
I love the MP3 player.
Imagine the spartans of Blue team actually using this stuff?
Hang on guys, i have to change the son-HEY! who put I'm A Barbie Girl on here!(Kelly and Sam start to giggle). Oh come on guys seriously?
anyway for the talkies, why don't you wire the talk, volume, and channel controls down to your hand? eh? EH?

 

[jrsteensen]

This is great!
Ideas..Ideas..Ideas
I love the MP3 player.
Imagine the spartans of Blue team actually using this stuff?
Hang on guys, i have to change the son-HEY! who put I'm A Barbie Girl on here!(Kelly and Sam start to giggle). Oh come on guys seriously?
anyway for the talkies, why don't you wire the talk, volume, and channel controls down to your hand? eh? EH?

Actually that is the plan...or some other rediculosly easy method. My biggest problem is that everybodies helmet is different and I have no helmet to prototype into.

Heres what I have designed so far...

Features:

Lights
- Tactical Lights (4x)
- Navigation Lights (2x)

Fans (2x)

Audio System:
- Microphone (Internal)
- External Microphones (Directional - same concept as electronic ear protection)
- Speakers (2x) - Mix and output both external mics and radio at all times.
- "Auxillary In" Jack - ie Ipod input, second radio, etc.
- Voice Modulator/PA
- Built in FRS Radio
- Chin switch (3 POS: Radio/LAPAS (Local Area Public Address System)/OFF (For silence))

POWER:
Centrally Located Power Supply (Probably in suit, under chest. Would like to not use a special battery cause they are hard to recharge in the field. Easier to just put new AAs or 9Vs in.)

INPUT:
- Chin-Switch (2x 3 POS Push) (RADIO/LAPAS/OFF) (NAVLIGHT/TACLIGHT/OFF)
- Wrist-Control Panel (FRS controls, STATUS controls)

DISPLAYS:
- LCD for Radio display (Above left eye, visible at max vertical deviation.)
- LED "Status" SYSTEM (LED 3x6 Matrix) (Above right eye, visible at max vertical deviation.)
Red LED
- Blinking: "Open Fire"
- Solid: "Cease Fire"
Yellow LED
- Blinking: "Advance"
- Solid: "Fall Back"
Green LED
- Blinking: "Report In"
- Solid: "REDCON 1" or "I'm up!"

 

[sirblood]

Somethat that hasn't been mentioned...

a way to hear people better. I for one used to struggle to hear people while wearing my helmet. I picked up one of those electronic ear devices... well my dad gave me one, anyhow there is an earpiece which is just an earbud, and the microphone sits outside the helmet (there should be plenty of space on your armor to hide it) The all in one units won't work out especially if you have cooling fans, they will amplify the sound of the fans, the microphone needs to be outside of the helmet.

The main problem that I used to have was the cooling fans drowned some people out as I walked past. I should probably say that I don't have the best of hearing in the first place...

 

[DJHicks]

im yet to find some small usable speakers for any of my suits... if anyone knows of anything suitbale would they mind pasting in some links if possible uk suppliers please... ive had a couple but there either poor quality or quiet...

also for the PA is that simply an microphone and speaker? or do people know of any kind of system thats pretty spot on?

i was considering using a rom fx that people using in a storm trooper suit for an added radio/communication feel to my suit

 

[jrsteensen]

I'm just adding up component costs...this is gonna be a bit pricey when all said and done.

 

[jrsteensen]

how would you get the water to flow, other than sucking on the other end, which would get really old really fast. And having a tube right next to your mouth could get pretty uncomfortable after a while. Its a good Idea that some one needs to elaborate on. I don't have any ideas, anyone?

Well, you know on US protective masks (ie gas masks) we have a flexible rubber tube that comes out right next to your mouth - usually it bends to the side of your mouth and you just grab it with your mouth and suck when you want water - you certainly can't take your gas mask off to take a drink if there are bad things floating around outside of the mask....

Same idea? But thats something that someone would have to impliment to their own helmet, unless I am going to start a "internal finishing" service on helmets

 

[jrsteensen]

im yet to find some small usable speakers for any of my suits... if anyone knows of anything suitbale would they mind pasting in some links if possible uk suppliers please... ive had a couple but there either poor quality or quiet...

also for the PA is that simply an microphone and speaker? or do people know of any kind of system thats pretty spot on?

i was considering using a rom fx that people using in a storm trooper suit for an added radio/communication feel to my suit

Basically it is, though I am planning on incorporating something like the ROM FX into the system, as well as the microphone/speaker pickups for your local area.

 

[L0neWolf]

Heres what I have designed so far...

Features:

Lights
- Tactical Lights (4x)
- Navigation Lights (2x)

Fans (2x)

Audio System:
- Microphone (Internal)
- External Microphones (Directional - same concept as electronic ear protection)
- Speakers (2x) - Mix and output both external mics and radio at all times.
- "Auxillary In" Jack - ie Ipod input, second radio, etc.
- Voice Modulator/PA
- Built in FRS Radio
- Chin switch (3 POS: Radio/LAPAS (Local Area Public Address System)/OFF (For silence))

POWER:
Centrally Located Power Supply (Probably in suit, under chest. Would like to not use a special battery cause they are hard to recharge in the field. Easier to just put new AAs or 9Vs in.)

INPUT:
- Chin-Switch (2x 3 POS Push) (RADIO/LAPAS/OFF) (NAVLIGHT/TACLIGHT/OFF)
- Wrist-Control Panel (FRS controls, STATUS controls)

DISPLAYS:
- LCD for Radio display (Above left eye, visible at max vertical deviation.)
- LED "Status" SYSTEM (LED 3x6 Matrix) (Above right eye, visible at max vertical deviation.)
Red LED
- Blinking: "Open Fire"
- Solid: "Cease Fire"
Yellow LED
- Blinking: "Advance"
- Solid: "Fall Back"
Green LED
- Blinking: "Report In"
- Solid: "REDCON 1" or "I'm up!"

Wow sentinel sounds like your building that armor for battle just kidding. Everything you type was real cool. But when you do all of this let me know. Cause sounds like you got something here. And I want yo know how you did it.