Army seeking information on 5G augmented reality prototypes

The Army is seeking information from industry on how 5G augmented and virtual reality prototypes can be integrated into technology to improve training and readiness operations.

A March 17 Army notice states the service, along with industry, will develop and mature technologies through an other transaction agreement to "enable improved cognizance of spectrum activity, protection of U.S. activity in the electromagnetic spectrum domain and the ability to relocate and/or share spectrum anytime, anywhere access is needed."

A third set of request for prototype proposals will be released following the notice for 5G prototype enhancements, a testbed and applications all as separate awards under the National Spectrum Consortium. The 5G experimentation will take place at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington.

"The objective of this effort is to demonstrate how 5G communications technologies can support realistic distributed training and develop deployable equipment and systems to integrate these technologies into ongoing training operations," the notice states. "Distributed training includes, but is not limited to, information transmitted to the trainee via augmented reality/virtual reality protocols . . . ground instrumentation data, distributed simulation computing environments and command and control replicated data."

Responses are due April 30.