Opening the discussion at the Defense One Tech Summit 2016 www.defenseone.com held in Washington D.C June 10, Dr, Amy Kruse, Neuroscientist, and CTO at Cubic Global Defense www.cubic.com, said, “Cognitive neuroscience and the wide array of emerging neuro-technologies will play an important role in the future training environment.”
Dr Kruse added, “The first step is to analyze training situations resulting from complex situations constantly evolving and then use the information to develop usable technology. The next step is to integrate these technologies into solutions so that warfighters are able to meet the challenges in the field.”
Dr. Rajesh Naik, Chief Scientist 711th Human Performance Wing Air Force Research Laboratory (ARL) www.wpafb.af.mil/afrl/711HPW reports, “Bio-sensing needs of the Air Force are straightforward as commanders want information to tell them the immediate physical status of an airman. “Bio-sensing platforms have to be sensitive enough to detect low level signals yet robust enough to withstand extreme temperatures and altitude.”
Dr Naik reports that the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and ARL as well as experts from several industry and academic institutions including Washington University in St. Louis and MC10, have partnered to provide wearable, flexible electronic sensing expertise.
The team is currently developing non-invasive platforms that include a long-lasting patch made from biocompatible materials that can be printed with electronic sensors and worn on the body for several days at a time.
Dr. John Krakauer, Director of the Brain, Leaning, Animation and Movement Lab, at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, www.hopkinsmeducune.org explained that he sees the brain as repairable using visual technologies after injury especially after strokes.
He told Summit attendees, “A clinical trial developed at the Lab is helping patients with recent strokes. The patients are participating in a study testing a new video game that allows players to be a virtual dolphin three times a week for four weeks.
The trial called “I am Dolphin”, works by having patients control the dolphin’s acrobatics such as swimming, leaping, catching fish, and navigating water with the movement of the arm connected to a 3-D robot. The goal is to determine whether combining gaming, robotic training, and brain stimulation can improve motor recovery of the upper extremity after strokes.