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Army REF Deploys Thermal Imaging Sensors

Monday, May 4th, 2020

WASHINGTON – As part of the COVID-19 response, the U.S. Army Rapid Equipping Force, Program Executive Office Soldier and the C5ISR Center of U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command led the initiative to use thermal-imaging devices to screen for potentially elevated body temperatures of personnel entering military facilities.

These stand-off thermal imaging capabilities provide significant advantages over hand-held thermometers as they provide a safe distance between the operators and subjects, and require less manpower. The technology, which does not require physical contact, processes information quickly, allowing a faster flow of traffic into buildings and facilities. Screening only takes a few seconds to measure temperature at a distance of 6-to-8 feet using a forward looking infrared sensor mounted on a tripod. If an elevated temperature is detected, individuals receive a secondary screening with a non-contact forehead thermometer. If a secondary screening confirms an elevated temperature, the individual will be encouraged to seek further screening with a medical provider.

Lt. Col. David Wilson, the lead for the REF’s rapid COVID-19 efforts, walked through the screening process at the Pentagon with Dr. Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, and Dr. James A. Day, Executive Director of Security Integration and Technology for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency.

“This is a different adversary we are combating and, as always, it is our number-one priority to protect the force and community to ensure our safety, resilience and readiness,” Wilson said. “We are looking to the thermal-imaging sensors as one of many methods to prevent the spread and exposure of COVID-19.”

The REF worked closely with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency on employing thermal-screening capabilities, which began at the Pentagon Visitor’s Center April 22, 2020. Signs have been placed at various locations to inform personnel and visitors of the screening process. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency is looking to expand the thermal imagers to other areas of the facility, such as Metro entry points.

Also being deployed is the Thermal Imaging for Fever Screening Integrated Visual Augmentation System and the Future Weapon Sight-Individual. Through the close collaboration of government and industry, these systems were quickly modified for thermal-screening capability in a matter of days and put into pilot testing shortly thereafter. To date, thousands of people have been screened with these systems. The TIFS capability is currently deployed at Fort Benning, Georgia, and will expand to other military locations in the coming months.

All of the thermal-screening capabilities are set for broader distribution and use across the Army. Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was the first location to employ thermal-imaging devices for elevated body temperature screening at the installation’s hospital, exchange and commissary. The REF will deploy more thermal-imaging sensors throughout the National Capital Region, Army training centers and to U.S. Army North as one of the first measures of defense against COVID-19.

By PEO Soldier Public Affairs

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Guest Post, PEO-Soldier | 3 Comments »

Natick Soldier Center Designs Prototypes for Lifesaving Face Coverings for Soldiers

Sunday, May 3rd, 2020

NATICK, Mass. – Dangerous times call for quick action, including rapid prototype development. With this reality in mind, the Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center quickly designed face covering prototypes that comply with Department of Defense standards and meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements for protection against COVID-19, the disease caused by the Coronavirus.

The CCDC Soldier Center, or CCDC SC, quickly developed six prototypes for face coverings, tested the prototypes, and chose one prototype that was highly rated by Soldiers for immediate development. CCDC SC also selected a second prototype, also well received by Soldiers, that has been further developed, coordinated with PEO Soldier, and will be a more permanent Army solution.

CCDC SC efforts focus on the research, development, and early engineering of the solution and building a Technical Data Package. The designs developed at CCDC SC have transitioned to its partners at PEO Soldier – Project Manager Soldier Survivability for production efforts. CCDC SC is also partnering with PEO Soldier on future iterations.

“During the pandemic, we must ensure that our Soldiers remain ready for any mission and that they are protected” said Douglas Tamilio, director of the CCDC SC. “Our Soldier protection and human factors expertise, combined with our testing and prototyping capabilities, enabled us to quickly develop an Army acceptable solution to the urgent requirement for face coverings.”

CCDC SC is committed to discovering, developing, and advancing science and technology solutions that ensure America’s warfighters are optimized, protected, and lethal. CCDC SC supports all of the Army’s Modernization efforts, with the Soldier Lethality and Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Teams being the CCDC SC’s chief areas of focus. The center’s science and engineering expertise are combined with collaborations with industry, DOD, and academia to advance Soldier and squad performance. The center supports the Army as it transforms from being adaptive to driving innovation to support a Multi-Domain Operations Capable Force of 2028 and a MDO Ready Force of 2035. CCDC SC is constantly working to strengthen Soldiers’ performance to increase readiness and support for warfighters who are organized, trained, and equipped for prompt and sustainable ground combat.

Annette LaFleur, team leader for the Design, Pattern and Prototype Team in the Soldier Protection and Survivability Directorate at CCDC SC, explained that CCDC SC “designers quickly brainstormed, sketched, patterned, and fabricated prototypes in one weekend – while material scientists, textile technologists and engineers coordinated the test and evaluation of potential materials.”

“The materials selection was a collection of past and current clothing development efforts, as well as sourcing readily available materials from industry,” said Molly Richards, a research chemical engineer at CCDC SC.

LaFleur explained that clothing designers on the Design, Pattern, & Prototype Team worked with load carriage experts at CCDC SC to rapidly develop an array of potential prototype systems that included six potential designs. CCDC SC’s Human Factors Team assessed the prototypes on Human Research Volunteers stationed at CCDC SC. The designs were given to Soldiers for feedback, a key component of all design efforts at CCDC SC.

“CCDC SC items, including the face covering, are developed with the Soldier from the beginning stages, so we can say it is ‘Soldier tested and Soldier approved,’” said Richards.

“The design selected needed no improvements,” said LaFleur. “We down selected to designs with the highest Soldier acceptance while considering other factors such as integration with helmets and eyewear as well as ease of manufacturing.”

The first design developed by CCDC SC is being fabricated in-house. CCDC SC specializes in prototype creation and is not a production shop. However, due to unprecedented circumstances caused by the pandemic, CCDC SC personnel are fabricating the first design, which was chosen because of its high acceptance with Soldiers and because it is easy to produce.

Richards explained that a small team of employees across three directorates are busy fabricating the first design with an initial quantity of 10,000 face covers to outfit Soldiers in basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

A second design, also highly accepted, has been further developed rapidly as a more permanent Army solution.

CCDC SC knowledge and expertise played an important role in the rapid design and development of the face coverings.

“We have a team of 10 talented clothing designers who work daily to design new and/or improved combat clothing, uniforms and individual protective items,” said LaFleur. “They have the military specific knowledge, skills, ability and creative drive. We collaborated with other CCDC SC subject matter experts in materials/textiles, human factors, anthropology for sizing; engineering technicians in the machine shop; and so many others in various disciplines. We need our Soldiers to remain healthy so they can remain optimized and defend our nation. At CCDC SC our priority is for the Soldier to not to be burdened by what they are wearing, so they can focus on their mission. For the face coverings, the goal is to meet the intent of the CDC and DOD guidelines for use of cloth face coverings when in public.”

“This effort was a natural fit for the expertise in the Soldier Protection and Survivability Directorate,” said Richard Green, Ph.D., director of SPSD at CCDC SC. “We have expertise in materials that enabled smart choices on the selection of materials to ensure the safety of the users. We have expertise in design to make sure that the items fit, function, and durability are appropriate for the intended use, and we have the expertise to provide our PM partners with technical data packages for further production. Mainly, however, we have a dedicated team of true professionals who were willing to come to work under restrictive working conditions and speedily execute this project because they understand the importance of meeting this need expeditiously. I could not be prouder of their effort.”

“CCDC Soldier Center has the expertise from design and prototyping to materials and textiles to react and execute quickly for the need for face coverings for the Soldier,” said Richards. “It has taken a team of people across directorates with a variety of expertise to execute quickly. Protection for our Soldiers is our top priority and taking measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 is essential during this unprecedented time.”

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Design, Guest Post, PEO-Soldier | 2 Comments »

Amid COVID-19, 673d MDSS Airmen Innovate Added Layer of Protection

Saturday, May 2nd, 2020

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska

Two 673d Medical Support Squadron (MDSS) Airmen refined their invention of a plastic barrier to protect medical providers treating patients with COVID-19, and airborne diseases in general, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, April 7, 2020.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Michael Shoemaker, 673d MDSS biomedical equipment technician, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Taylor, 673d MDSS medical logistics noncommissioned officer in charge of acquisitions, designed and built a polycarbonate plastic enclosure to place over a patient’s head and upper torso with access for treatment via two holes at the head of the enclosure for a physician’s hands and arms, and two side doors for additional access.

“Ultimately, we wanted to create a mobile isolation room that could contain an infectious disease,” Shoemaker said. “This enclosure provides an extra layer of protection for medical staff because aerosol droplets can’t pass through it.”

Shoemaker said he got the idea after seeing the large, bubble-like ventilators medical providers in Italy and New York were using to treat patients with COVID-19. The ventilators had sufficient space around a patient’s head for a physician to reach inside and treat the patient from outside the barrier.

Shoemaker shared his idea for a sturdy, plastic barrier that could surround a patient’s head and upper torso with MDSS leadership, using a cardboard box for a visual. He said his leadership immediately gave him the go-ahead to build a prototype, and Taylor came on board to help with supplies and construction.

Taylor and Shoemaker built an acrylic prototype that same day, then invited medical professionals from infection control, respiratory therapy and anesthesiology to provide feedback and suggestions for improvements. A paramedic also intubated a medical manikin under the enclosure to assess its practicality.

“It was really cool to see the whole team excited about the idea, looking at the capability it could provide,” Shoemaker said. “Everybody was onboard. They pointed out shortfalls in the initial design and what we needed to change. For example, curving the front so there wasn’t a seam on the viewing platform, and making sure there were doors on the sides so medical technicians could support the physician.”

“Their recommendations made this enclosure a lot more functional than we originally anticipated,” Taylor said. “It could be used for more than the current situation with COVID-19. It could be used for almost any medical procedure needing an extra barrier for protection.”

To create the enclosure, polycarbonate plastic panels are cut with a waterjet, so they fit together almost like a puzzle. Thin brackets and rivets secure the panels together, and clear silicone seals the seams. The team is also working to create a single panel that can be folded into shape using heat, eliminating the need for brackets and rivets.

“It’s simplicity allows it to be quickly cleaned and sterilized after each use and ready for another patient in five to 10 minutes,” Taylor said.

“Working with the base innovation lab and the staff at the medical group, we’ve created something significant,” Shoemaker said. “If this is adopted and we’re able to make this a kit that can be sent out, it will outlast COVID-19 and go to any medical group with a need for it.”

In less than a week, with help from the 673d Medical Group, the JBER Innovation Lab and support from across the installation, these two Airmen created a functioning, potentially life-saving device.

By Airman 1st Class Samuel Colvin | 673 ABW/PA

Posted in Air Force, COVID-19 Pandemic, Design, Guest Post, Medical | Comments Off on Amid COVID-19, 673d MDSS Airmen Innovate Added Layer of Protection

Get Your COVID-19 Target

Saturday, May 2nd, 2020

Made exclusively by Webtech Gear.

Free download at www.lmsgear.net

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic | 1 Comment »

Army Project Explores Ways to Encourage Protective COVID-19 Behaviors

Friday, May 1st, 2020

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — A U.S. Army-funded project is identifying how officials at different levels of government can work together to encourage protective behaviors to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This is the new goal of an existing game-theory project funded as part of a Multi-University Research Initiative by the Army Research Office, an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Army Research Laboratory.

Most of the literature in game theory examines individual behavior, but this project, led by the University of Michigan along with Harvard University, University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California and Washington University, explores what happens when decisions are made at multiple scales, such as during the current COVID-19 pandemic, where decisions are made by individuals, local governments, state governments and nations.

The research team saw the applications of their work to the COVID-19 pandemic and pivoted their modeling.

“The global pandemic is the most salient threat we face at the moment,” said Dr. Purush Iyer, an ARO program manager. “While the U.S. Army’s interest in network games includes understanding the impact of the adversarial groups in a host population, electronic warfare, and distributed weapon systems, we fully support exploring the impact of measures to control the spread of disease.”

According to the researchers, when human behavior is competitive, people don’t use resources in the way that is most efficient for the community—as seen in behaviors like mask, sanitizer and toilet paper hoarding. But most decisions about how to behave aren’t entirely individualistic. People make them as part of a community, and are swayed both by leadership and the incentives and disincentives that leadership can offer—as well as altruism.

The team is exploring how to model compliance or lack of compliance regarding COVID-19 orders and recommendations in their game-theory framework. The protective behaviors include not going out, wearing a mask when going out, handwashing and sanitizer use when returning from being out.

The factors that may influence compliance often include the prevalence of COVID-19 in the local community, a person’s vulnerability or proximity to vulnerable individuals, and general awareness. But they may also be affected by the timing of the order and even the words and phrases chosen to give the justification and restrictions. This aspect of the analysis will allow the team to then investigate community-wide behavior as a result of high-level policies.

The team plans to connect behaviors identified from such data with COVID-19 case data to discover which restrictions and recommendations are most effective.

“We’re also interested in understanding what additional mechanisms or policies could be introduced to make the overall system more efficient—for instance, enabling more collaboration among communities rather than competition,” said Mingyan Liu, leader of the project and the Peter and Evelyn Fuss Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan.

Liu cited the way that states are currently fighting one another for federal supply of medical equipment even as some come together on a plan to begin re-opening the economy.

For now, the team is best equipped to model strategic decisions associated with social distancing at the individual and community levels, but they have plans to include economic concerns as well. The state that is able to remain open because its neighbors are closed is a free rider in the sense of limiting virus spread, but it may also play an important economic role in manufacturing and distribution, helping to head off shortages.

The researchers presented the work at a recent Call to Arms virtual conference from the National Science Foundation’s Networking Technology Systems group.

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Guest Post | Comments Off on Army Project Explores Ways to Encourage Protective COVID-19 Behaviors

Alternate Care Site Solutions for Pandemic Response from ADS Inc

Thursday, April 30th, 2020

A facility that is temporarily converted for healthcare use during a public health emergency is an Alternate Care Site (ACS). The primary function of ACSs is to reduce the burden on hospitals and established medical facilities.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating hotel and arena facilities to convert them into alternate care facilities in response of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The process to create Alternate Care Sites includes:

Identify and obtain sites

Build and convert the space

Supply and equip units

Staff

ADS, Inc has a variety of solutions to facilitate the rapid establishment of these sites such as their mobile ICU.

To learn more, visit adsinc.com/alternate-care-site-solutions-for-pandemic-response.

Posted in ADS, COVID-19 Pandemic | Comments Off on Alternate Care Site Solutions for Pandemic Response from ADS Inc

Buck Knives Offers Discount to Healthcare Workers

Wednesday, April 29th, 2020

Post Falls, ID — Tuesday, April 28, 2020– Buck Knives is extending its online discount program to all the heroes that are working the frontlines to keep our communities safe during the COVID-19 crisis.

Buck Knives is proud to extend the industry partner discount program to men and women in the healthcare industry. This discount applies to doctors, nurses, CNA’s, technicians, technologists, health administrators, EMS, and support staff. The discount offers up to 50% off a full range of products. For full eligibility information, visit Buck Knives Healthcare Discount.

“It is with great gratitude that Buck Knives thanks all of the medical personnel, law enforcement, military, and first responders as they continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities,” said Chris Brooks, Director of Brand Management of Buck Knives.

Buck Knives also offers discounts to military, law enforcement, and first responders through the Service Pro Discount.

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic, Knives, Press Release | Comments Off on Buck Knives Offers Discount to Healthcare Workers

Birdwell Beach Britches – Birdie Reversible Mask

Tuesday, April 28th, 2020

Birdwell Beach Britches have introduced the Birdie Reversible Mask. They’ve already manufactured over 20,000 and have another 20,000 in the queue. These reversible masks are constructed with two layers of breathable SurfStretch fabric and feature ties.

They are offered in a few colors SSD readers might be interested in, like Woodland and Frogskin camouflage.

For each mask you order, one will also be donated. If you already have the masks you need, consider donating one or more masks to the great team at CORE – a non-profit working in partnership with the LA Mayor’s Office and the LA Fire Department to provide free drive-through testing for high-risk individuals.

Posted in COVID-19 Pandemic | 2 Comments »