Army lab tests weapons of the future

FORT BENNING - ``Lighter, smaller, faster.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> That could be the motto of the Dismounted Battlespace Lab at Fort Benning, which experiments with new weapons and defensive measures for U.S. infantry soldiers. <br> <br> If a piece of equipment does not meet one of the three criteria, it will not pass the test. <br> <br> ``Our entire focus is on the soldier in the combat environment,&#39;&#39; said Chris Kearns, who is head of the division. <br> <br> Among the experiments at the lab are: <br> <br> Robots that can detect biological and chemical agents, see through walls and, if necessary, climb them. <br> <br> Spy planes small enough for a soldier&#39;s backpack that can transmit information about terrain and the enemy. <br> <br> Counter-sniper systems that would enable a soldier to determine electronically the exact location of an enemy sniper. <br> <br> Kearns said the lab tested one counter-sniper device but it was too bulky and could not differentiate between the muzzle flash from a rifle and the glowing tip of a cigarette. It was sent back to the developer. <br> <br> Products come from defense contractors, Army researchers and individual inventors. Many of the lab&#39;s civilian and contract workers are combat veterans who know the difference between what a soldier needs and does not need. <br> <br> ``We try to work with every piece of equipment and work as many bugs out of it before we put it in a soldier&#39;s hands so we don&#39;t waste his time,&#39;&#39; said Stan Ellis, a Vietnam veteran and project analyst for the battle lab. <br> <br> One of Ellis&#39; current projects is a small, unmanned aerial vehicle that takes off and lands vertically and hovers over buildings while sending back video. Ellis is using a hobby-shop helicopter and outfitting it with cameras and a global positioning system. <br> <br> The device has drawbacks, primarily the cost. <br> <br> ``They wanted something disposable, but the cost has become too great because the day-night camera alone costs $12,000 and the coded GPS costs $3,500,&#39;&#39; Ellis said. <br> <br> It takes at least six months for the Army to go from approval to actually getting it to soldiers. Ellis said it is important to get the soldier quality gear that is already thoroughly tested. <br> <br> Although the lab is inundated with products, some of the best ideas come from within. <br> <br> Retired Master Sgt. Scott Hardcastle spent $500 on lumber, canvas and a projector to develop a large-screen map display system that can be linked to laptop computers for commanders in the field. <br> <br> ``I wanted something simple the infantry could have without having to spend $10,000 to $20,000,&#39;&#39; Hardcastle said. ``I would have loved to have something like this in Somalia where we had to do it with a map on a table.&#39;&#39;