Most NASA innovations come from within their own labs, which are used in space, then sometimes produced for the masses. In the case of potential heads-up displays in space helmets, NASA is looking at Recon Instruments’ HUD tech for ideas.
Recon Instruments has been working on heads-up displays in snowboard goggles for awhile now, and beginning in September, NASA will head out to the deserts of Arizona for a mission simulation and begin testing that technology in space helmets. According to Recon Instruments, the majority of real-time info transmission to astronauts has still been carried out via voice technologies.
Whether or not NASA plans to integrate Recon Instrument’s technology into future space suit designs or just test it for inspiration remains to be seen. [Recon]