Cockpit Electromagnetic Radiation Testing And INterpretation (CERTAIN): Phase II

The concern identified in the DARPA Impact of Cockpit Electro-Magnetics on Aircrew Neurology (ICEMAN) STTR Opportunity Announcement is that strong electromagnetic fields (EMF) within modern Department of Defense (DoD) aircraft cockpits may be degrading pilot performance and potentially leading to mishaps including loss of life.  Proposers received funding for a Phase 1 effort responding to the announcement.  A major part of our Phase I effort was to attempt to inform the design of  instrumentation to enable the electromagnetic characterization of modern civilian aircraft with electronic cockpit instrumentation.  Proposers also designed a Basic Personal Electromagnetic Monitor (BPEM), and have submitted a draft IRB for a research study plan which could be used in Phase II involving human subjects.  We now proposed a Phase 2 effort consisting of the a Base plan for one year of work and Options 1 and 2 of one year each. The Base plan for work in Year 1 consists of: Month 1: Kickoff meeting and finalize Phase II Work Plan based on PM feedback Month 6: Finalize  in-flight  PEM (FPEM) hardware and experimental design, submit IRB protocol Month 9: Complete Phase II EM/RF sensor suite development and conduct EM/RF measurement data collection in representative aircraft on ground, in flight and during flight maneuvers For the work in Option 1, to be done in Year 2 the proposers would: Month 13: Complete Phase II EMF generator development and begin lab-based (non-human subject research or non-HSR) testing. Month 17: Begin HSR experimentation in laboratory and ground-based cockpit settings Month 21: Provide initial experimental findings and recommendations for potential mitigation strategies Month 24: Provide demonstration and results of non-HSR mitigation strategy experimentation For the work in Option 2, to be done in Year 3 proposers would: Month 36: Provide Demonstration and Results Of HSR Mitigation Strategy Experimentation The deliverables for this program would include reports summarizing: 1) EM/RF sensing prototype technical specifications and functionality testing results 2) Cockpit EM/RF measurement experimentation methods, results and interpretation 3) EM/RF generation prototype technical specifications and functionality testing results 4) HSR and non-HSR experimentation protocols and results