January 6, 2006:
After several years of intense development and testing, the U.S. Army is shipping a "see-through-walls" device to Iraq. Urban warfare is particularly difficult as, once inside a building, you have to deal with all those walls. Well, just like electronics came up with a solution to night fighting (night vision goggles), a similar device has been developed for literally seeing through walls. Well, at least most walls. The nine pound RadarVision can't see through metal walls, but will give you an image of anyone behind any other wall material, including up to a foot of brick, concrete or stone. It can also see through multiple walls. Using a 90 minute battery pack, the image is particularly good if someone in there is moving. RadarVision is also going to be incorporated in combat robots. Such a droid could check out a building more quickly by using its RadarVision to see through walls while moving down a hallway. Many Iraqis have long believed that American troops had devices that could see through walls. There's no telling what the appearance of devices, that do just that, will have.