December18, 2006: What's the next big technology that will change the way infantry operate? In other words, the "next big thing?" Most likely portable fuel cells, because all the electronic devices troops are carrying need juice.

In the last century, there have only been a few of these breakthrough technologies. Many appeared during World War I. Things like the combat (steel) helmet (reduced casualties a lot), mortars (portable fire power), land mines (easier to defend a position) and automatic weapons for individual soldiers (the U.S. BAR and the German 9mm machine pistol). The assault rifle showed up during World War II, along with the bazooka (and its variations, like the German weapon that led to the RPG), giving the infantry more portable artillery.

A major innovation that showed up in the 1960s was the night vision scope, a hand held device that enabled you to see at night. Another 1960s development was Kevlar, a fabric that made a bullet proof vest that was light enough to wear. This was enhanced in the 1980s with the development of ceramic plates that made possible truly bullet proof armor. Casualty rates came way down as a result.

The 1970s saw the end of conscription, and an all-volunteer force. Professional infantry are, all things being equal, much more effective than conscripts.

A major new tech in the 1980s was laser tag (MILES, where laser pointers were attached to guns, and soldiers wore sensors to tell them when they were hit). This allowed for very realistic training exercises, and troops going into combat for the first time, after MILES training, now had a good appreciation for battlefield realities. This is another technology that is hardly known, much less appreciated, by civilians. But the troops know it to be a lifesaver.

The 1990s saw the arrival of GPS, which did two very important things for the infantry. First, it made it much harder to get lost. This is a big deal for the infantry, who are always plunging into unknown territory. GPS also made possible JDAM, the GPS guided smart bomb. This revolutionized air support and gave the infantry a lot more firepower.

The 1990s also saw the widespread introduction of the personal radio for the infantry. This came as a result of more powerful, and smaller, radio technology. The grunts basically adopted stuff that was coming on to the civilian market.

Another 1990s breakthrough infantry tool for the infantry was the micro-UAV. Weighing under ten pounds, battery powered and with endurance of about an hour, these revolutionized infantry tactics. Company and platoon commanders could now get a real-time, birds eye view of the battlefield. This gave U.S. troops a tremendous advantage, saved many American lives and forced the enemy to operate much more slowly.

Perhaps the most important 1990s technology for the infantry was the Internet. Now the grunts could talk to each other, share combat experiences and ways to be use new technology, and which new tech was worth using in combat. The Internet doesn't get much recognition in this respect, but for the grunts, it has been huge. Computers have become a big deal, and laptops or PDAs are often carried into battle by some officers.

And the buzz on the Internet has been that batteries are becoming a big problem. All those electronic gadgets draw lots of juice, and running out of batteries is becoming a bigger problem than running out of ammo. Fuel cell technology has been in development for over a decade, and the first practical models are arriving to replace generators. This year, some troops got a 20 pound device, about the size of a briefcase, that put out 200 watts, and could be used to recharge batteries. But the 2007 models will be much smaller (half the size of a brick, but lighter) Fuel cells will keep getting smaller, until, sometimes next decade, they can replace the actual batteries. That will be just in time, because the troops are getting wearable computers and videocams on their helmets. The Internet is coming to the battlefield, and that will require a lot more battery power.