UNESCO - Impact of Science On Society: Weapons of Science | Civilization's Pitfall (1981)

 

Info 

 

The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has recommended that measures be taken by the United Nations Specialized Agencies to publicize and condemn the growing trend among Member States to arm for war. The United Nations is especially concerned about the calls made on science and technology to aid and abet the process of armament. The present issue of this journal is offered so that its readers can better understand how scientific research and technical innovation are increasingly diverted to reinforce the ability of some nations to wage warfare with more means than are needed for self-defence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IDA (DARPA) - Supertroop Via I-Port: Distributed Simulation Technology for Combat Development and Training Development (1990)

 

Info 

 

This paper proposes research and development aimed at total encapsulation of an individual who fights on foot, predicated upon integrating a powered exoskeleton into his battle dress to augment load-bearing capability, a personal computer networked with those of fellow combatants, and full body protection against ballistic, chemical, thermal, and directed energy threats. Fielded first would be a simulation of the eventual battle dress--termed ST, for SuperTroop--which could give individual combatants a portal into Advanced Distributed Simulation--called I-Port. I-Port would then be used to explore the requirements for the exoskeleton, for the personal processor, for the integrated displays and control mechanisms, and for the protective and homeostatic subsystems. I-Port would also produce parametric data on the man-machine interface essential to proceeding with confidence into hardware design and construction. To test the utility of ST/I-Port, Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama is analyzed, with the conclusion that the availability of ST/I-Port equipment might have lowered operational costs and increased force effectiveness. A development program, with the DARPA in the lead, is described.