SOFWERX, in collaboration with Navy Special Warfare Center (NSWCEN), will host an Industry Day, 02-04 April 2024, to allow potential vendors to demonstrate physiological monitoring capabilities. These engagements with Industry and Government Labs will help NSWCEN identify potential material solutions. NSWCEN intends to survey industry for mature, non-developmental, technology that may support rapid fielding of this capability.

NSWCEN seeks a technological capability to gather, ingest, store, analyze and monitor candidate physiological status during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training and Basic Crewman Selection training (BUD/S and BCS). Additionally, NSWCEN requires automated data transfer, direct from device to NSWCEN data repository, with no upload or transfer through non-NSW information technology (e.g., devices, servers, or systems). The ability for seamless follow-on transfer to secure government data systems will be required. Current holistic monitoring capability does not exist. NSWCEN may consider inclusion of already Federal Government approved (via official authorization to operate (ATO) information technology) depending on the associated security controls. Industry should be prepared to provide copies of ATOs and any supporting documentation (e.g., privacy impact assessment) to NSWCEN for market research consideration. This type of automatic data transfer would allow for leadership, cadre and the human performance program staff to have a high level of awareness of candidate performance throughout BUD/S while keeping data secure on NSWCEN dashboards.

They want to explore potential wireless physiological monitoring devices/system capable of conducting continuous monitoring of physiological status (to include but not limited to heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep monitoring, body temperature deviation, exercise and activity volume and intensity) with automated data transfer from device to a secure NSWCEN data repository. The goal is to increase real-time situational awareness, candidate safety, data ingestion, storage, and analytical capability to predict and mitigate injury, and optimize performance monitoring. The wearable device itself would be durable for continuous use in varied arduous and tactical training environments including water, sand, and cold weather. Battery life in fully operational mode (i.e. recording and transmitting real-time data) shall be at least twelve (12) hours, optimally twenty-four (24) hours on one charge. Self-charging is optimal/preferred.

From a hardware standpoint, they seek:

Wireless communication hub and web server: “Bluetooth Router” or similar networking infrastructure to eliminate the need for a mobile device and mobile application in the loop. No dependency on, upload to, or transmission through- external network connectivity. Fully functional on a local, standalone network.

Software: Web Application for viewing physiological status metrics (individual and macro views), managing active/connected devices, and setting alerting parameters.

Submit NLT 05 March 2024 11:59 PM ET.

The SOFWERX STEM Showcase 2024 is an opportunity for Government, Academia, and Industry to showcase technology, inspire, and guide the next generation of innovators and problem solvers. SOFWERX, in collaboration with the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), Industry Partners, and local Universities, Colleges, and Trade Schools will host?a 1-day STEM Showcase for high school juniors/seniors and college-age students on 10 May from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET at the SOFWERX facility in Tampa, FL (Ybor City).

For more info, visit events.sofwerx.org/sofwerx-stem-showcase-2024.

SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM’s Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T) Futures and UK Strategic Command, will host the fifteenth Innovation Foundry event (IF15) 17-19 April 2024, in London, England.  As the second international event in the series, IF15 aims to bring together military practitioners, industry, academia, national laboratories, and futurists to explore and ideate around future scenarios and missions. This phase of the innovation cycle is being co-sponsored by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD).

The theme of IF15, ‘Smart Cities – Future Challenges for SOF’, will explore the challenges of physical and remote SOF operations in a range of future complex smart city scenarios. 

The rapidly changing nature of the future operating environment will increasingly involve operations in smart, interconnected cities. More than 50% of humanity resides in cities, and by 2030 there will be more than 60 cities with populations between 5-10 million. Many are located within global resource hot spots in an increasingly multi-polar world order that challenges hegemonic legacies. These dense urbanities are becoming ever more complex; socially, physically, and technically.

This presents new challenges and opportunities for SOF operations across the full breadth of potential mission sets, in an interconnected environment where access and manoeuvre will be challenging. The confluence of domains and environments amplifies these challenges. Virtual and physical theatre entry, combat operations, sustainment, and partnering will all require novel approaches. From biometrics to autonomy, to remote sensing, future smart cities will present SOF with some of the toughest challenges.

To tackle these problems SOF will need to:
•    Develop a vision for the future challenges posed by operating in smart cities.
•    Identify, understand, and combat smart city risks and vulnerabilities.
•    Develop plans and policies to enable operational advantage in smart cities and exploit dual-use capabilities.
•    Develop capabilities to understand and characterize adversarial actions in smart cities.
•    Develop new concepts of operation with partners and allies to operate in a range of heavily constrained smart cities scenarios.
•    Identify, recruit, and train for the skillsets required to operate in future smart cities.

Submit NLT 04 March 2024 11:59 PM ET.

events.sofwerx.org/ussocom-innovation-foundry-if-15-event