September 16, 2011 03:38 pm EDT

Recon Instruments gets NASA Desert RATS eyes-on with Micro Optics Display, lets them see the future

Outer space. The words alone conjure images of high-tech gadgetry and mind-blowing scientific research -- that is to say, the future. But what if we told you our best and brightest cosmic explorers were still relying on arm-mounted post-it notes to guide them through spacewalks? Yes, that would be Staples in space. Luckily, Recon Instruments has partnered with NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies to test two variants of its GPS-enabled Micro Optics Display for use in next-generation spacesuits, and get our space agency a wee bit closer to the P.K. Dick fantasy we hold dear. The customized goggles, which deliver information direct-to-eye, were put to task by the the Arizona desert-based team, undergoing a series of simulated critical mission procedures. The end result? A resounding thumbs-up approval from NASA (not to mention deceased sci-fi authors), and a promise to evaluate the tech for further testing. Do you hear that sound, rocketeers? Silly us. Of course, you can't -- in space, no one can hear our applause.

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Recon Instruments gets NASA Desert RATS eyes-on with Micro Optics Display, lets them see the future originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original Link: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/16/recon-instruments-gets-nasa-desert-rats-eyes-on-with-micro-optic/

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