Revision, a company best known for ballistic eyewear has expanded protection to the head, neck and face in the form of its new modular helmet system. Taking a standard Army helmet, and adding a ballistic visor and a mandible that offers 9mm protection, the system is intended for both mounted and dismounted soldiers, according to Brian Dowling, Revision's Military Program Manager and Army special operations veteran.

It's the culmination of a four-year research project at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center called Helmet Electronics and Display System-Upgradeable Protection -- better known as HEaDS-UP --that aims to provide a more fully integrated headgear system, making use of improved ballistic materials, non-ballistic impact liner materials and designs, see-through and projected heads-up display technologies, and better eye, face and hearing protection.

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Revision is one of multiple companies developing these helmet systems for the Army to test. Soldiers have already started receiving prototypes to test in the field.

Revision displayed its system at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference in Washington D.C. The HEaDS-UP on display featured integrated electronics in the helmet, a heads-up display powered by an Android smartphone, and a pneumatic liner system that meets the new 14-feet/second impact requirement to reduce traumatic brain injuries.

"You traditionally had helmets where people velcro-ed [or] duct-taped on components," says Dowling. "The HEaDS-UP program has really taken head protection to the next step for Natick."

A recent report found that 72 percent of all head injuries suffered by soldiers occurred to the face. Army leaders said it forced them to reconsider what equipment was provided to protect a soldiers’ face.

-- By Ho Lin