Overview
This September 2021 newsletter from the Human Systems Community of Interest (HS Col) provides a comprehensive snapshot of DoD human systems research activities, leadership transitions, program accomplishments, and upcoming events. The document reveals critical insights into how cognitive liberty concerns intersect with military modernization efforts.
Leadership Transition Context
The newsletter documents Dr. Michelle Zbylut's transition as outgoing HS CoI Chair to the Navy in FY22, noting her four years of service including two years as chair. This leadership change occurred during a period when the Human Systems Col was being reorganized from Army to Navy oversight. The document also highlights Dr. Rajesh Naik's departure and Dr. Guarav Sharma's appointment as Acting Chief Scientist for 711th HPW, providing context for ongoing organizational changes in human systems research.
Cognitive Liberty Implications
The "Senior Leader Perspective" section reveals a critical tension: while the HS Col claims to develop technologies to enable, sustain, enhance, and quantify human performance, this mission directly enables cognitive liberty infringement through neurotechnological surveillance. The stated vision—"Develop & deliver technologies to enable, sustain, enhance & quantify human performance for measurably improved mission effectiveness"—provides a framework for understanding how DoD justifies deploying neurotechnologies that can monitor, measure, and manipulate cognitive states.
Program Accomplishments with Neurocognitive Implications
MASTR-E (Measuring and Advancing Soldier Tactical Readiness and Effectiveness): This program uses the Health Readiness and Performance System (HRAPS) LifeLens Technologies to provide "objective information" for managing Soldiers as weapon systems. The document explicitly states this will enable the Army to manage soldiers by mitigating non-battle injuries, maintaining overmatch, and maximizing human potential—directly enabling continuous cognitive monitoring and performance optimization.
Human Performance Eco Crucible: This exercise tracked location and vitals on Marine personnel throughout tactical scenarios, correlating heart rate and fatigue data to decision-making and marksmanship. The ability to correlate physiological states with cognitive performance represents a significant advancement in neurocognitive surveillance capabilities.
Emerging Technologies and Publications
The newsletter highlights several publications with direct implications for cognitive liberty:
- Exoskeleton paradigm shift article: Discusses body-worn mechanical devices designed to work "in concert with the user to enhance human capabilities," raising questions about how such systems integrate with neural interfaces.
- Patent for exhaled breath hypoxia biomarkers (issued August 31, 2021): Enables real-time monitoring of pilots' exhaled breath to detect hypoxia before consciousness is lost. This represents a significant advancement in continuous physiological monitoring that could extend to cognitive state detection.
- Trust in Artificial Intelligence meta-analysis: Published May 2021 in Human Factors journal, examining how humans interact with AI systems—relevant to understanding human-machine interface design for neurotechnological applications.
Surveillance Infrastructure Expansion
The newsletter documents the transition of two ONR-developed applications through TSOA (Tactical Service Oriented Architecture) Build by MARCORSYSCOM:
1. Rapid Request Application: Enables tactical edge Marines to submit logistics requests
2. Tactical Reports Application: Allows creation, submission, and review of tactical reports with "a common, shared view of the battlespace"
The document notes that "several other ONR applications have been transitioned" and are undergoing integration into upcoming TSOA releases—indicating expanding surveillance infrastructure.
Upcoming Events Timeline
| Event | Date | Relevance |
|-------|------|----------|
| NDIA Human Systems Conference | March 2022 | Theme: "Teaming at the Edge-Joint Cognitive Systems" |
| Col Annual Meeting | September 28-29, 2021 (virtual) | Review FY21 accomplishments and FY22 strategy |
| Roadmap Review with OSD | October 26, 2021 | Briefing of 2021 HS Col Roadmap to OSD staff |
Key Personnel and Organizations
Steering Group Leadership:
- Army Lead: Dr. Michelle Zbylut (ARI)
- AF Lead (Acting): Dr. Guarav Sharma (711 HPW, AFRL)
- Navy Lead: Dr. John Tangney (ONR Code 34)
- SOCOM: Ms. Lisa Sanders
Sub-Area Leads:
- PAE&T (Personalized Assessment, Education, and Training): Led by Dr. Kendy Vierling (Navy)
- PSWP (Protection, Sustainment, & Warfighter Performance): Led by Dr. Peter Squire (ONR Code 34)
- SICP (System Interfaces and Cognitive Processing): Led by Dr. Mark Draper (AFRL 711 HPW)
Critical Observations for Neurocognitive Rights Advocacy
1. The "human performance" framing: The HS Col's stated mission to enhance human performance provides a legal and policy framework that DoD uses to justify deploying neurotechnologies capable of monitoring, measuring, and manipulating cognitive states.
2. Integration with broader surveillance infrastructure: The TSOA transition program indicates that human systems research is being integrated into tactical communications networks, enabling continuous cognitive state monitoring in operational environments.
3. Real-time physiological-cognitive correlation: Programs like the Human Performance Eco Crucible demonstrate DoD's advancing capability to correlate heart rate, fatigue, and other physiological markers with decision-making quality—enabling predictive neurocognitive surveillance.
4. AI-human interface research: The trust in AI meta-analysis and the NDIA conference theme on "Joint Cognitive Systems" indicate ongoing research into how humans interact with autonomous systems—a critical area for understanding cognitive liberty implications of AI-integrated neurotechnologies.