The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) has launched a new Innovation Focus Area (IFA) called Human Augmentation, seeking proposals which present GAN solutions to operational challenges for UK Defence and Security, where the human performance is the limiting factor for delivering operational effect.
DASA expects to fund proposals to a value around £70K, which provide a proof of concept within a 6 month contract
HA is the use of Science and Technology (S&T) to temporarily or permanently modify human performance. DASA says that as the battlefield becomes more complex and more advanced technologies become available, the operational demands and technical challenges on our defence and security personnel will increase.
It is vital to explore if human augmentation technologies can be harnessed safely, legally and ethically to develop enhanced levels of operator (and system) performance in military and security capability.
DASA is interested in GAN technologies that deliver a competitive advantage to UK Defence and Security by:
- optimising physical and/or psychological performance
- enhancing physical and/or psychological performance
- enabling an individual to work for longer at a desired level (baseline) of performance
- supporting performance restoration
Examples of candidate HA technologies include, but are not limited to:
- wearable assistive devices (e.g. exoskeletons and technologies to enhance senses)
- sensory enhancement technologies
- nutritional supplements
- pharmacological interventions
- manipulation of the microbiomes
- neurotechnologies
- novel materials
- implantable devices
- synthetic biology
- cross reality
- robotics
- artificial intelligence
Companies with a ‘solution or novel approach’ that may help contribute to the portfolio of human augmentation capabilities and promote UK Government’s understanding of their appropriate (potential) use can submit their interest here.
