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Wearable Tech Designed to Keep Soldiers Safer

2,662 views · Published 19 November 2014 · 2:50 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: Michigan Engineering · 2014 · Science & Technology

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Using commercialized sensors that target specific regions on the body, Michigan Engineers are creating algorithms that can help the military test how a soldier’s body reacts under pressure and stamina exertion. Thus, this technology can enable informed decisions regarding the trade-offs of between physical performance and equipment/load requirements.
The hope is that every field soldier will be monitored and, if showing distinct and clarified signs of stress, can be temporarily pulled out of a “hot zone” until their signs show improvement; all done in real time on a digital device like a tablet.
Steven Davidson, research coordinator, and his team are two years into the project with funding primarily coming from the U.S. military but he also sees this being used as a way to monitor student athletes and even stroke victims as they gauge their ongoing progress.
Davidson's hope with this project is software development that can allow even a high school football coach without an engineering degree access to interpret what is going on with his players. As he sees it, being able to see how people move under different pieces of equipment will go a long way in ensuring the safety of our soldiers overseas.

Steven Davidson is a research coordinator for the Human Performance Innovation Laboratory at the University of Michigan. He runs the day to day operations and human subject testing of the project in conjunction with Dr. Scott McLean (School of Kinesiology, http://www.kines.umich.edu/), Dr. Stephen Cain, Dr. Ryan McGinnis, and Dr. Noel Perkins (College of Engineering).

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