Microflown’s Acoustic Vector Sensor wins SBIR call for Dismounted Soldier

Microflown AVISA's feasibility study WALKING EARS was ranked as the number 1 proposal in the first Dutch SBIR call on improving secure military operations in urban environments.

Acoustic Vector Sensors (AVS) - WALKING EARS

Addressing the subtheme “improved soldier systems”, WALKING EARS proposes to explore the merits of using breakthrough compact, light weight and low power Acoustic Vector Sensors (AVS) to provide complete fully spherical 3D acoustic awareness for the dismounted soldier.

Traditional sheer sound pressure microphone based acoustic detection systems are only used for supersonic sniper detection. Acoustic Vector Sensors however can also detect all other relevant sound sources, not only impulse type of sounds such as subsonic rifles, mortars, rockets, but also tonal sound sources like helicopters and ground vehicles. Hence complete 3D acoustic situational awareness can be obtained.

As the AVS is very small, it can not only be mounted on a helmet, shoulder, ballistic vest or rucksack, but also on the rifle itself.

The jury felt that AVS, that hear all around in a full spherical bubble, are self evidently complementary to advanced night vision systems which only provide a narrow field of view.

In WALKING EARS, the practical implications of using Acoustic Vector Sensors on walking platforms’ will be investigated, addressing topics like optimal placement integration with inertial sensors, interfacing with Battlefield Management Systems and monitoring multiple individual events.