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Fatigue, extreme heat and injury are just a few of the challenges that warfighters face, but to ensure peak performance and mission success they must remain fit and agile. To do so, imagine a wrist watch that can track physiological and cognitive vital signs to inform whether a warfighter is in distress and instruct therapeutic intervention.
This is exactly what researchers from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Joint Science and Technology Office are exploring in their Wearables at the Canyon for Health (WATCH) study. There is little research identifying the relationship between physiological and cognitive markers, and measuring these aspects of performance in simulated mission environments has proven difficult. The WATCH study, performed at Sandia National Laboratories, aims to identify which physiological and cognitive phenomena collected by non-invasive wearable devices are most indicative of performance in extreme environments.
In a pilot study, data was collected from civilians and warfighters hiking the Rim-to-Rim (R2R) trail at the Grand Canyon, a rigorous performance challenge with extreme changes in altitude and external temperature. The 24.2-mile hike has an elevation change of nearly 7,000 feet from the rim to canyon floor and temperature differentials up to 50°F. Even though it is highly discouraged by the national park service, every year thousands of hikers attempt to complete the hike in a single day.
Annually, more than 250 people are airlifted from the canyon with symptoms of hyponatremia, heat stroke, extreme fatigue and physiological stress. During the study, each participant wore multiple wearable devices measuring heart rate, temperature, outside humidity, distance traveled, cadence, number of steps and altitude. Cognitive responses were also measured every three hours when participants took a fatigue survey and completed a short battery of tests measuring reaction time, short-term memory and inhibition.
The study collected data from 38 civilian hikers and 12 warfighters utilizing 150 different wearable technologies. Each hiker wore multiple devices, including a fitness watch, an iPod touch, a temperature/humidity device and a GPS tracker. Researchers also gave participants chest monitors for measuring heartrate, a wireless body temperature sensor and clothing capable of electromyography.
Data from this unique experiment will allow researchers to identify the most effective wearable device to track performance and health in extreme environments. Ultimately, by monitoring physiological and cognitive vital signs, wearables will provide early distress warnings to inform therapeutic intervention to protect our warfighters and ensure they remain fit for duty.
POC: Edward Argenta; edward.p.argenta.civ@mail.mil
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2017 10:21 |
| Story ID: | 229244 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 177 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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