New Delhi, Sept. 9: The National Security Guard has procured head-mounted K-9 goggles fitted with cameras and LED lights for its dog squad, a vision system that sources in the elite counter-terrorism force said would help the handlers of the canines monitor operations better.

The handler can monitor everything what the dog is seeing through the set of cameras mounted on the goggles, including the target area, through a small handheld screen.

The vision system, which weighs less than 500 grams and has LED-enabled night-vision capabilities, will also allow the handler to pass commands to the dog through inbuilt speakers.

"The front and rear cameras mounted on the goggles cost about 50,000 euros (Rs 38 lakh) apiece. A few pieces have been procured by the NSG on a trial basis and, depending upon the feedback, a decision for regular procurement will soon be taken," an NSG official said.

The paramilitary force is also evaluating the efficacy of another gadget - the K-9 guidance system - through which the dogs can be controlled off leash through tonal and vibration commands. This device allows the commander to have effective control over the dogs from a distance and helps gather intelligence to suitably plan an operation in real-time action.

With proper training, the dogs can take six different types of tonal and two types of vibration commands and complete the tasks assigned by their handlers. The dogs adapted to the guidance system can accomplish tasks like identifying suspicious objects, relaying the information without barking and indicating to the handler by wagging their tails in a certain manner.

NSG officials got an idea of what both these gadgets - developed by a French firm - were capable of at the first K-9 national seminar the paramilitary force organised at its campus at Manesar, Gurgaon, on Thursday.

Police officials from several states and other paramilitary forces attended the two-day seminar.