Soldier Protection Benchmark Evaluation (SPBE) Physiological Data Collection and Analysis, Fort Greely, Alaska, 17 September-5 October 2012
Abstract
The United States Army is continually evaluating and improving the form, fit, and function of protective equipment for the individual Soldier. To improve upon the evaluations, the Product Manager Soldier Protective Equipment (PM SPE) asked Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL) to incorporate a physiological status monitoring capability into their tests. During the execution of the Army s Soldier Protection Benchmark Evaluation (SPBE), MIT LL outfitted 34 Soldiers with physiological monitors, accelerometers, and GPS s to collect objective physical performance data. The Soldiers performed a predefined set of activities wearing four different protective gear configurations. Data from the sensors supplied by MIT LL were analyzed to assess the effects of the various configurations on the physical performance of the Soldiers. Accounting for percent effort exerted, statistically significant (p-value < 0.01) differences in the speed and movement of Soldiers wearing the different configurations could be seen for a 5-kilometer road march and an obstacle course. During the 5-kilometer march, skin temperature was significantly higher for the more protective and encapsulating configurations. Normalizing for speed on the 5-kilometer march, significantly higher core temperatures were observed for heavier configurations. The use of on-body sensors to collect physiological data during the SPBE provided the Army with an objective dataset to use in their evaluation of the various configurations of protective gear.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 19, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA588489
Entities
People
- A. Dumas
- A. R. Hess
- Brian A. Telfer
- J. R. Williamson
- K. D. Fischl
- T. B. Hughes
- W. T. Young
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology