Among the new hardware types at AUSA 06 were two military computing devices, the RPDA-57 and Tacter 31M introduced by Tadiran’s local subsidiary Talla-Tech. KVH unveiled a new Rugged Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) based application, combining hardware, software and communications. The system utilizes special purpose PDA called Convoy Comms, designed to provide an intra-convoy communications messaging system which provides the convoy commander with efficient situational picture based on the locations and status reports received from each vehicle. The system also enables rapid and effective distribution of alerts and commands.
A new version of Commander’s A different PDA application is the mortar fire control computer, developed by Soltam. The miniature system performs all the ballistic calculations necessary for accurate mortar fire and also provides logistics management for the fire unit. Commander’s Digital Assistant (CDA) is in development for General Dynamics Land Warrior program. While providing dismounted leaders with situational awareness picture derived by FBCB2, the system also maintains constant position reporting for non-line-of-sight blue force tracking. AAI and L3 Com displayed elements of the OSRVT / Rover III video datalink, used by U.S. forces to distribute UAV imagery in real time.
PDAs are also used as “Smart translators”, solving language interaction issues created by foreign cultural and language barriers. In 2003, the first digital translator was introduced, to help U.S. soldiers translate simple village search commands from English to Pashtu and modern Arabic. The Speechguard system provided access to pre-recorded phrases, stored on a PDA in mp3 format. At AUSA 2006, more sophisticated implementation of this simple, yet effective product were demonstrated, part of the already deployed in the idle East. Phraslator P2, a system developed by VoxTec is currently available, supporting 40 languages. Phraslator can translate a series of predefined phrases, from spoken or written English to prerecorded phrases spoken in the local language. A standard military kit comes with six languages.
