An Optimized Personal Area Network (PAN) for Battlefield Airmen

Today’s Warfighter has an increasingly complex assortment of electronic devices available to him, such as End User Devices (EUDs), radios, GPS, video downlinks (VDLs), and laser range finders (LRFs). While the addition of these devices can significantly augment the Warfighter mission, the integration of multiple devices presents a very significant human-machine interface and human factors challenge for the individual. Such body worn/borne devices require a well- designed and robust Personal Area Network (PAN) scheme in a form factor that maintains warfighter comfort and does not impact his mission. During this Phase II SBIR program, Human Systems Integration, Inc. (HSI), a leading developer of wearable situational awareness (SA) products and solutions, will design and develop a new Warfighter PAN that will greatly enhance the capabilities of the modern Warfighter. Our system of systems approach will provide the Warfighter with a capability to seamlessly interface the data and power requirements of the vast array of current and emerging communication, computation, video, sensor and other electronic devices. Our proposed hybrid wireless/wired PAN architecture approach will leverage available commercial and government technologies to create a scalable SA and communications platform that will interface with multiple types of SA, communications and sensing applications.