Soldier Mounted Eye Com 7 & 8 Eye Monitoring Biosensor, Communicator & Controller

In a CDC-sponsored SBIR Grants 2000 Phase I Solicitation, proof-of-concept of the patented wearable Eye Com-6 Biosensor-Communicator-Controller (EC-6) as a reliable drowsiness-detection tool was demonstrated. Consisting of 2 IR-sensitive microcameras, IR eye-illuminating LED's and detectors affixed to a wrap around eye frame 2-3 cm from each eye, its binocular Eye-See [tm] software tracked black/white pupil, eyelid and eye ball movements, while displaying in electronic form, 8 of over 20 possible oculometrics (e.g. eye blink velocity [EBV], acceleration [EBA], duration [EBD], percent of time eyes closed/open [PERCLOS/PEROP], eye movement velocity [EBV], gaze fixation, ocular dwell time, accomodation and vergence. In US Army A04-191 SBIR Phase I, a tethered EC-7 consisting of 2 fiberoptic endo-probes (directed to the eyes) and a single fiberoptic exo-probe (directed away from the EC wearer)was attached to a soldier's helmet and night-vision scopes and coupled to 30-60 Hz as well as 500-1000 Hz micro-cameras for low (e.g. EBD, EBF, PERCLOS)to high (e.g. nystagmoid & saccadic velocity, pupillary latency response) speed oculometric analysis. EC-7 operated well under day and night-time ambient lighting with and without head movement, proving its potential to monitor a soldier's or pilot's eyes under all mobile and stationary environmental conditions and domains. The now U.S.-patented helmet-mounted EC-7 was integrated with EEG, PSG and EKG in a specially designed Drive/Flight Simulator installed in the WSDC for Performance Vigilance Testing (PFT) which will be conducted on sleep-deprived soldiers and civilians in SBIR Phase II. In SBIR Phase II, EC-7 & EC-8, a non-tethered ergonomically-designed wireless version, will be used to develop a complete systems-integrated Composite Oculometric Fatigue Index (COFI)safety-response algorithm within the WSDC Drive/Flight Simulator using a combination of EC-generated oculometric and other physiological (e.g. EEG, PSG,actigraphy) and cognitive performance Drive Simulator Test (i.e. PVT) measures. A parallel study in a dedicated UH-60 flight simulator will be conducted on sleep deprived helicopter pilots. The EC-7/8 COFI will eventually be able to: 1) identify and respond to portential or actual operational performance failure including inattentiveness, drowsiness, micro-sleep intrusions or loss of consciousness due to any cause (e.g. G-LOC, toxic poison exposure, hypoxia, seizures, etc.); 2) transmit oculometric signals to a remotely placed "black box" recorder or receiving station; 3) trigger a vibro-tactile seat (e.g. EC Rumble Seat-tm) or warning system; and 4) operate augmentative communication, control & computer programs, electromechanical devices and heads-up or head-mounted displays by means of its EC Eye-Mouse-tm functions for healthy and disabled soldiers, pilots and civilians in hands-free operations.