Principles of Camouflage

Dr. Timothy O’Neill

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 "An expert is a man who has made all the
mistakes which can be made in a narrow field.”

-- Niels Bohr

The ideas and principles described in this

briefing are descriptive, not prescriptive; there
are no points for following them, no penalties for
ignoring them. Only rigorously measured
performance matters.

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 Basic assumptions

Science based

Focused on operational requirements

Evaluated on performance

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 Camouflage science: What we know

Existing camouflage principles based on vision

science.

Principles have evolved as the science

advances.

Principles are provided for information, not as

design requirements.

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 Camouflage science: Observations from nature

Gerald and Abbot Thayer provided the “classic”

camouflage attributes from naturalistic observation:

Mimicry: Looking like something else

Countershading: Defeating the shadow signature.

Ruption: Breaking up shape signatures (target

geometry)

Blending*: counteracting outlines and boundaries.

* A property, not the evaluation method described elsewhere.

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 blending

countershading

ruption

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 Camouflage science: Embracing vision science

PSYCHOPHYSICS/
SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY

CHEMISTRY
BIOPHYSICS
DYES/COATINGS/TEXTILES
VISUAL PERCEPTION

VISUAL
OPTICS NEUROPHYSIOLOGY BIOMECHANICS

HYPERSPECTROMETRY

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 Camouflage science: Camouflage properties

Physical attributes of visual camouflage:

Color attributes

Chromatic match (includes hyperspectral)

Contrast (overall, intrapattern)

Geometric attributes

Texture match
Shape disruption
Movement masking

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 Camouflage science: Color properties

Color attributes of visual camouflage:

Chromatic (visual spectrum) color challenges

Overgeneralization (focus on where a soldier will

hide)
Contrast problems (extreme contrast, isoluminance)
Metamers

Hyperspectral challenges

Effects of dye and substrate properties

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 Contrast match
Isoluminance Excessive contrast

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 Camouflage science: Pattern geometry

The geometric properties of visual camouflage:

Background match:

Texture (spatial frequency power spectrum)

Flow (horizontal, vertical, nondirectional)

The target: Shape disruption (boundary/symmetry)

Challenges:

Overgeneralization
Loss of pattern through isoluminance
Overly fine texture
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 Camouflage science: Pattern flow

Foreshortened view/texture gradient Some environments

suggests lateral flow. suggests vertical flow.

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 Camouflage science: Pattern texture

HIGH PASS LOW PASS

PERCEIVED IMAGE
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 Camouflage science: Hints

Ideas to consider in finding a solution (based on bitter

experience):

Focus on the “tactical microenvironment” -- no

camouflage can hide a soldier everywhere.

Employ the principle of invariance: Match the

attributes that remain constant.

Consider the geometry of human form and

biomechanical invariants.

Consider the consequences of compromise.

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