EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL ADVISOR SYSTEM (EODAS)

THE ARMED SERVICES MAKE A SIGNIFICNAT INVESTMENT IN PERSONNEL RECRUITING AND TRAINING TO PRODUCE QUALIFIED EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) EXPERTS. BY ANY STANDARD, THE MISSION OF EOD PERSONNEL IS ONE OF THE MOST HAZARDOUS DURING WAR OR PEACETIME. PRESENT METHODOLOGIES TO RENDER MUNITIONS SAFE REQUIRE THE EOD EXPERT TO ENDANGER HIS OR HER LIFE IN MANY SITUATIONS. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE REQUIREMENT EXISTS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE PROCESSES TO ENHANCE THE TRAINING AND SURVIVABILITY OF THESE CRITICAL EXPERTS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE I STUDY IS TO DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL OF INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR ASSISTING THE EOD SPECIALIST IN TRAINING AND IN THE FIELD. THE APPROACH INVOLVES: (1) A LITERATURE SEARCH AND INTERVIEWS WITH EXPERTS IN THE FIELD; (2) ORGANIZING AND COLLATING ASSEMBLED DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION; (3) CONDUCTING ANALYSIS OF NEEDS; AND REQUIREMENTS AND SETTING PRIORITIES FOR AN EOD ADVISOR SYSTEM (EODAS); (4) REVIEW ARITIFICAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES AND EVALUATE FEASIBILITY TO DEVELOP AN EXPERT SYSTEM; (5) FORMULATE AND SELECT A CONCEPTUAL VIDEODISC SUPPORT SYSTEM; (6) PREPARE CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND A FINAL FEASIBILITY REPORT.