SPYDR: Expandable, Open-Architecture, Multi-modal, Human Performance and Environmental Monitoring Ecosystem for Assessing Impact of Cockpit Electro-Magnetics on Aircrew Neurology and Performance

Military cockpits are flooded with multiple RF/EM signals and noise of varying frequencies and amplitudes.  Little is known, however, of the actual impacts of these fields on pilots, as no monitoring is currently performed. Consequently, no efforts have been made to shield pilots from these fields.  To address these unknown impacts on aircrew cognitive performance, Spotlight proposes to fully characterize the RF/EM environment of a typical cockpit using laboratory-grade equipment, then apply that knowledge to develop an RF Exposure and Cognitive Assessment Platform (RECAP).  This flight-capable, portable system will enable in-flight measurements of the cockpit RF/EM environment and impact on neurology, physiology, and cognitive performance of aircrew. To rapidly achieve a flight-ready product, Spotlight will integrate portable RF/EM sensing with their TRL-9 SPYDR-ICS human performance ecosystem, designed to collect physiological aircrew data in flight and assess cognition impacts. A multi-stage approach is proposed, starting with emulated-cockpit lab testing, and progressing rapidly to aircraft ground testing and subsequent in-flight testing, leveraging Spotlight’s vast experience in aircrew physiology monitoring during flight.  The end result is a comprehensive understanding of the cockpit EM/RF fields and impacts on aircrew cognition AND a wide-reaching commercially available research platform for RF exposure and cognitive impact assessment.