From the Field to the Lab: SMART Scholar Develops Lifesaving Warfighter Technologies from His Battlefield Experience

Courtesy Photo | The SMART Scholar SEED Grant Program is sponsored by the SMART Program Office and the Laboratories and Personnel Office under the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. SEED Grant recipients receive research grants up to $100 thousand per year for up to a maximum of three years to help support promising SMART scholars establish a foundational research or engineering effort in their area of expertise as they transition from the pursuit of their Ph.D. to a DoD professional.  

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

02.28.2022

Courtesy Story

SMART Scholarship Program

Army Veteran Khaldoon Ishmael is turning his battlefield experience into motivation during his SMART Scholarship. Mr. Ishmael served as a combat interpreter during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and saw firsthand the need for lifesaving warfighter technologies. Now, as a Phase 1 SMART scholar, Mr. Ishmael is pursuing his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and devoting his career to improving warfighter technologies. Under the guidance of his mentor Richard Ordoñez, Ph.D., Mr. Ishmael is designing and developing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to monitor multi-person vital signs. Together, the pair received the 2021 SMART Scholars and Mentors of the Year award for a scholar in degree pursuit (Phase 1).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Ishmael’s 2020 internship moved from in-person to virtual. However, his mentor, Dr. Ordoñez used video and teleconferencing to stay engaged and meet weekly to discuss technical questions and challenges. Dr. Ordoñez helped Mr. Ishmael with the programming and automation of data acquisition. Additionally, Dr. Ordoñez facilitated briefings to senior Department of Defense (DoD) leadership, allowing Mr. Ishmael to align his project to mission priorities from the onset.

Mr. Ishmael’s 2020 prototype was able to identify multi-subject life signs based on cardiopulmonary patterns and using low-cost doppler radar hardware. After briefing the Marines, Mr. Ishmael and Dr. Ordoñez worked towards miniaturizing the vital signs monitoring system and a hybrid vertical take-off and landing UAV.

When complete, the UAV-based radar system will increase warfighter safety in low visibility, such as fog and dust, and contested environments. The UAV system will provide immediate detection of life signs during search and rescue operations and enable warfighters to remotely recognize human activity patterns, distressed vital signs and biometric indicators in hazardous environments. By monitoring cardiopulmonary rates during live exercises, commanders can increase warfighter performance.

To date, Mr. Ishmael has authored seven publications related to his SMART Scholarship and internship work. His work was amplified under the guidance of Dr. Ordoñez who ensured project alignment to DoD priorities and sought user-feedback early in the project development. Mr. Ishmael’s effort earned him the 2021 Frederick M. Kresser Achievement Rewards for College Students (ARCS) Award in Engineering. Together, Mr. Ishmael and Dr. Ordoñez are recognized as a 2021 SMART Scholar and Mentor of the Year Pair during a scholar’s academic pursuit.

For more information on the SMART Scholars and Mentors of the Year Award, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/news/411142/smart-scholarship-service-program-announces-scholar-and-mentor-year-awards.

• Date Taken: 02.28.2022
• Date Posted: 02.28.2022 12:06
• Story ID: 415415
• Location: ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, US