Overview
This page documents key program accomplishments reported in the September 2021 HS Col newsletter that have implications for neurocognitive rights and cognitive liberty.
MASTR-E: Measuring and Advancing Soldier Tactical Readiness and Effectiveness
Technology: Health Readiness and Performance System (HRAPS) LifeLens Technologies Capability
Capabilities Enabled:
- Objective information collection for managing Soldiers as weapon systems
- Mitigation of non-battle injuries through continuous monitoring
- Maintenance of overmatch capability
- Maximization of human potential
Neurocognitive Rights Implications:
The program explicitly aims to "keep Soldiers in the fight longer and push them to fight harder, ultimately increasing their lethality." This represents a significant advancement in continuous physiological and cognitive monitoring capabilities. The ability to track soldiers as weapon systems enables real-time assessment of mental state, fatigue levels, decision-making quality, and combat effectiveness—directly enabling neurocognitive surveillance.
Human Performance Eco Crucible Event Demonstration
Partners: ONR, Naval Health Research Center, Mayo Clinic, Lockheed Martin, Scoring Tech
Capabilities Demonstrated:
- Location tracking of Marine personnel throughout tactical scenarios (live fire and simulations)
- Vitals monitoring during various tactical exercises
- Correlation of heart rate increases and fatigue to drops in decision-making quality and marksmanship performance
- Concurrent video recording (static and GoPro) for correlating human performance data with physical actions
- Comprehensive after-action reviews for OGA personnel and Marines
Neurocognitive Rights Implications:
This exercise demonstrated the ability to correlate physiological states (heart rate, fatigue) with cognitive performance metrics (decision-making quality, marksmanship). The capability to track this correlation in real-time during tactical operations represents a significant advancement in neurocognitive surveillance technology. The system can now predict cognitive degradation based on physiological markers and provide feedback for improvement.
Tactical Service Oriented Architecture (TSOA) Transitions
Applications Transitioned:
1. Rapid Request Application: Enables Marines at the tactical edge to submit rapid requests for logistics supplies or services
2. Tactical Reports Application: Allows creation, submission, and review of tactical reports with "a common, shared view of the battlespace"
Significance:
The document notes that "several other ONR applications have been transitioned" and are undergoing integration into upcoming TSOA releases. This indicates expanding surveillance infrastructure being integrated into tactical communications networks.
Publications with Neurocognitive Implications
1. Trust in Artificial Intelligence: Meta-Analytic Findings (May 2021)
- Published in Human Factors journal
- Examines how humans interact with AI systems
- Relevant to understanding human-machine interface design for neurotechnological applications
2. Modeling Fog of War Effects in AFSIM
- Authors: Drs. Dillon Tryhorn, Richard Dill, Douglas Hodson, Michael Grimaila, Christopher Myers
- Published in The Journal of Defense Modeling and Simulation, 2021
- Relevant to understanding how cognitive state modeling affects simulation outcomes
3. How Packaging of Information in Conversation is Impacted by Communication Medium
- Authors: Drs. Sarah Bibyk, Leslie Blaha, Christopher Myers
- Examines conversational processes and common ground maintenance
- Relevant to synthetic teammate development for team-based tasks
4. Need for a Paradigm Shift in the Development of Military Exoskeletons (2021)
- Published in IEEE Transactions on Cognitive Systems and Behavior
- Discusses body-worn mechanical devices designed to work "in concert with the user to enhance human capabilities"
- Raises questions about integration with neural interfaces for cognitive enhancement