Yariv Elani’s job at Elbit deals closely with the future battlefield. “We are involved in fascinating projects that bring innovation and robotics into the reality of the combat soldier in the field,” he says. “Our role is to supply solutions that redesign the arena of battle.”
My story
Other than a short period outside the group, Yariv’s career has transitioned between stations at Elbit. Presently he manages a program involving several remarkable technological projects, including the development of Iron Vision, a helmet-mounted display providing 360-degree situational awareness for tank crewmembers. “We’ve been working on the project for six years. Its purpose is to provide a solution for the changing battlefield,” he says. “I myself served as a company commander in the armored forces in reserves and I know very well how pertinent this challenge is.”
Iron Vision is designed to enable the tank commander to manage combat from inside the armored vehicle efficiently and safely, without needing to stick his head outside the turret in order to see. “We brought the pilot helmet technology to tank commanders. The commander can see everything happening around him– everything happening inside the tank and outside too – just by turning his head. The cameras feature advanced algorithms, enabling smart alerts to identify the enemy at short ranges.”
Yariv also engages in robotic development in his work. “It’s still a long way before robots can perform combat missions, but in the years to come, simple, limited missions will certainly be doable by unmanned vehicles. For example, autonomous vehicles could be sent on short-range supply and logistics missions instead of sending manned armored vehicles with a commander, a driver and a fighter, without risking lives. We recently held a big demonstration overseas and various clients are showing an interest in commencing a series of tests.”
Outside of work, Yariv is presently fulfilling an old dream: the farming life. “My wife Anat and I decided together to move from Yokneam to the farming settlement of Shdemot Dvora,” he says. “It was a complicated decision for us, but we certainly made a dream come true. In this too, we have a long way still to go.”
