Fratricide Prevention: An Opportunity to Develop a Joint Solution

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA503116&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Fratricide Prevention: An Opportunity to Develop a Joint Solution

DANIEL J. WITTNAM,


Technological advances in modern weaponry have provided the United States military with unparalleled speed, precision and lethality. However, with these newfound capabilities comes increased responsibility to ensure positive identification of the enemy in order to mitigate the risk to non-combatants and friendly forces. This task, that is extremely difficult to master during training, often proves overwhelming among the stress and uncertainty that defines the modern battlefield. Consequently, Operation DESERT STORM saw a spike in the percentage of coalition casualties caused by fratricide. To counter this trend, the Department of Defense poured time and resources into solving the problem. However, technology alone proved ineffective during OEF/OIF as displayed by another increase in percentage of fratricide casualties. Thus a joint effort combining technological innovation, joint doctrine and training and greater dissemination of lesson learned must be adopted to mitigate this unacceptable risk.

Efficacy of Intranasal Scopolamine Gel for Motion Sickness

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA503148&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Efficacy of Intranasal Scopolamine Gel for Motion Sickness
Treatment in Aviation Candidates

NAMRL Technical Report 09-17

Simmons, Rita G., Phillips, Jeffrey B., and Lojewski, Renee A.

Results from preliminary studies indicate that intranasal scopolamine (INSCOP) has faster absorption, higher bioavailability and reliable therapeutic index than oral or transdermal forms. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of INSCOP for the treatment of motion-induced sickness and to estimate the rate of absorption. After completing baseline
physiolgical, biological and cognitive assessments, 16 aviation candidates were given 0.4 mg of INSCOP and a placebo and were exposed to passive Coriolis cross-coupling. After exposure to provocative motion, subjects provided iterative physiological, biological, cognitive, and subjective sleepiness assessments. Analysis indicated that INSCOP was more efficacious than placebo as a
motion sickness countermeasure during provocative motion. Analyses conducted on systolic blood pressure showed no significant effects, however, analysis of diastolic blood pressure did show significant effects after administration of INSCOP. Analysis of heart rate was significantly lower among participants in the INSCOP condition when compared to placebo. In addition, there were no significant cognitive performance or self report of sleepiness effects over time between conditions. Finally, blood concentration levels of scopolamine are provided. In conclusion, INSCOP is efficacious for the treatment of motion sickness, with no significant cognitive or sedative effects, and offers an excellent alternative for use in dynamic operational environments.

Sleep Deprivation and Sustained Attention Performance: Integrating mathematical and cognitive modeling

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA504707&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


AUTHOR(S)
Glenn Gunzelmann; Joshua Gross; Kevin Gluck; David Dinge

A long history of research has revealed many neurophysiologic changes and concomitant behavioral impacts of sleep deprivation, sleep restriction, and circadian rhythms. Little research, however, has been conducted in the area of computational cognitive modeling to understand the information processing mechanisms through which neurobehavioral factors operate to
produce degradations in human performance. Our approach to understanding this relationship is to link predictions of overall cognitive functioning, or alertness, from existing biomathematical models to information processing parameters in a cognitive architecture, leveraging the strengths from each to develop a more comprehensive explanation. The integration of these
methodologies is used to account for changes in human performance on a sustained attention task across 88 hrs of total sleep deprivation. The integrated model captures changes due to time awake and circadian rhythms, and also provides an account for underlying changes in the cognitive processes that give rise to those effects. The results show the potential for developing
mechanistic accounts of how fatigue impacts cognition, and illustrate the increased explanatory power that is possible by combining theoretical insights from multiple methodologies

Fluctuations in Alertness and Sustained Attention:Predicting Driver Performance

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA504476&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


L. Richard Moore, Jr.
Dario D. Salvucci
Glenn Gunzelmann
Kevin A. Gluck

Fatigue has been implicated in an alarming number of motor vehicle accidents, costing billions of dollars and thousands of lives. Unfortunately, the ability to predict performance impairments in complex task domains like driving is limited by a gap in our understanding of the explanatory mechanisms. In this paper, we describe an attempt to generate a priori predictions of degradations in driver performance due to sleep deprivation. We accomplish this by integrating an existing account of the effect of sleep loss and circadian rhythms on sustained attention performance with a validated model of driver behavior. Although quantitative empirical data for validation are lacking, the predicted results across four days of sleep deprivation match qualitative trends published in the literature, and illustrate the potential for making useful predictions of performance in naturalistic task contexts that are relevant to real applied problems.
15. SUBJECT TERMS

Motion Sickness Prevention by Stroboscopic Environment during Simulated

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA504412&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


Motion Sickness Prevention by Stroboscopic Environment during Simulated Military Transport

Catherine M. Webb, Arthur Estrada, Jeremy R. Athy, Edna Rath, Melody King, Brad Bumgardner

Previous studies have shown stroboscopic illumination to reduce the severity of motion sickness symptoms when retinal slip is a significant factor. The present study assessed the use of a 4 and an 8 Hz stroboscopic environment as a countermeasure for visually-induced motion sickness. The motion profiles of an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and a Marine AAVC7A1
Amphibious Assault Vehicle were produced using the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory’s Multi Axis Ride Simulator. Participants who experienced the UH-60 motion profile subjectively reported the 8 Hz condition as significantly more effective in controlling motion sickness symptoms than the 4 Hz condition. In addition, the same participants reported a greater mean number of motion sickness symptoms (regardless of severity) after the no strobe condition than the 8 Hz condition; however this difference was not significant. Although there was no conclusive evidence of stroboscopic illumination as a motion sickness countermeasure
in the objective performance measures, there was evidence of its effectiveness in subjective reports.

Injury prevention effectiveness of modifications of shoe type on injuries

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA503988&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

INJURY PREVENTION REPORT NO. 12-HF-05WC-07
INJURY PREVENTION EFFECTIVENESS OF MODIFICATIONS OF SHOE
TYPE ON INJURIES AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PAIN
AND DISCOMFORT IN THE U.S. ARMY BAND
FORT MEYER, VIRGINIA
2007-2008


ABSTRACT
Footwear characteristics can have an influence on fatigue, overuse injuries and comfort. Shoes are an important consideration for members of the US Army Band who may perform hundreds of missions a year. These missions often include prolonged standing, marching, and can be conducted in unfavorable weather conditions. In a previous investigation, over 50% of the band members noted problems with their footwear such as lack of cushioning, support and breathability. In an effort to reduce injuries and improve comfort, one to two pairs of
shoes with a presumed increase in cushioning and ventilation were provided to the band members (n=112) to wear for one year. Participant demographic and lifestyle data were collected from existing databases and a questionnaire. The McNemar test was used to compare injury incidence 1 year prior to receiving the shoes and 1 year after receiving the shoes. Potential risk factors for self-reported foot, knee, and back pain, numbness or discomfort attributed to band activities were explored using logistic regression. There were no differences in injury
incidence one year before receiving the new shoes versus the year in which the band members wore the new shoes. Being assigned to the ceremonial group, poor shoe cushioning, wearing orthotics and those who replaced their shoes more frequently were associated with a higher risk of foot pain and discomfort; a poor fit in the heel was associated with a higher risk of knee pain and discomfort; marching for longer periods of time, performing other physical activities 5-7 days a week, poor shoe cushioning and reported feet too warm in hot weather was
associated with a higher risk of back pain and discomfort. Combining the specific shoe characteristic ratings into groups revealed that approximately a quarter of the band members rated the fit of the shoes as poor and approximately one third rated comfort characteristics as poor. The new shoes did not reduce injury incidence and it is not recommended that the band switch to this shoe. To increase the amount of cushioning in the shoe and potentially decrease foot and back pain insoles should be further investigated in the Army band.


US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

Warfighter Support: Information on Army and Marine Corps Ground Combat helmet pads

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA503225&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

Warfighter Support: Information on Army and Marine Corps Ground Combat
Helmet Pads


Combat soldiers operate in diverse environments and face injury threats that place demands on the protective equipment systems they use to provide consistent protection throughout a range of temperatures and threat magnitudes. Protective helmets are one of those systems. In addition to protecting against ballistic threats, Army and Marine Corps ground combat helmets are now designed to absorb energy in order to reduce head injury risk from blunt impacts; previous combat helmets, such as the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops helmet in use until 2002, were not designed to provide any tested levels of blunt impact protection.1 The currently used Army Advanced Combat Helmet and Marine Corps Light Weight Helmet are outfitted with a pad suspension system to protect against these threats.
These pad suspension systems have been found to offer superior blunt impact protection over the older sling suspension systems.

A MATERIALS APPROACH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTI-THREAT WARFIGHTER HEAD PROTECTION

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA504397&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf



A MATERIALS APPROACH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULTI-THREAT
WARFIGHTER HEAD PROTECTION
Sbawn M. Walsb, Brian R. Scott, Tyrone L. Jones, Kyu Cho, and James Wolbert
U.S. Army Research Laboratory
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. 21005-5069
ABSTRACT
The United States has historically capitalized on material and process advances to develop improved ballistic head protection for the warfighter. This also includev innovations in the design of various helmet elements based on careful consideration of the environment, patterns of use, interfacing with other equipment (e.g., weapons, body armor), and possible threat scenarios. As
such the U.S. helmet bas evolved in both shape, composition, and manufacture, and this same trend driven largely by contemporary and anticipated demands - has provided an excellent opportunity to consider new levels of protection and complexity. Increased ballistic mass efficiency has traditionally been the most significant factor, but advances in materials and computational tools have made possible new approaches to address helmet pad and suspension systems, as well as higher levels of ballistic resistance through hybridization. Helmet shell material and design, padding, and suspension have significant influence over several areas including shock resistance (due to a non-penetrating fragment or bullet, or
to a blast event), as well as comfort and thermal management. This paper provides an overview of novel material, processing, and concept development to provide a set of both modular and integrated tools and technologies for tailoring helmet performance.

EVALUATION OF TACTILE SITUATION AWARENESS

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA501130&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf


EVALUATION OF TACTILE SITUATION AWARENESS
SYSTEM AS AN AID FOR IMPROVING AIRCRAFT
CONTROL DURING PERIODS OF IMPAIRED VISION
by
James S. Brown
June 2009

This thesis describes the use of a prototype Tactile Situational Awareness System (TSAS) as an approach to aid pilot performance following simulated laser blindness modeled during a virtual approach in an SH-60 helicopter. Situational awareness and spatial awareness remain critical factors for successful control of manned aircraft. Helicopters and fixed winged aircraft pilots react to spatial orientation challenges during take-off, and landing phases of flight. U.S. and NATO aircraft pilot surveys examined the human machine interaction and revealed degraded vision as an important human factor contributing to mishaps or near mishaps. Vision was identified as an information chokepoint limiting command and control of the aircraft.
Fortunately, vision can be augmented with an available technology called “haptics” during restricted or limited human vision. Therefore, an experiment using X-Plane output for haptics-generated input from a torso-worn TSAS was developed. Participants received haptic cues during runway approaches after experiencing simulated loss of vision. Participant performance after simulated laser blinding with and without the TSAS compared time advantage and navigation accuracy. Simulator performance data indicated pilots using TSAS following simulated laser blindness responded to haptic cues, had more time to prevent the aircraft from obtaining an unsafe pitch or roll condition, and could position the aircraft closer to the landing zone.

Aviation, Haptics, Human Factors, Modeling and Simulation, Situational Awareness,