Michael Barbella, Managing Editor08.31.23
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratories (AFRL) has selected electroCore Inc.'s. TAC-STIM non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) product to be part of its Real-Time Assessing and Augmenting Cognitive Performance in Extreme Environments (A2PEX) Grant Program. A2PEX is a five-year project led by the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) that includes internationally-recognized leaders in wearable technologies from industry and academia.
A2PEX aims to build a wearable system to sense, assess, and augment cognitive performance in operational environments. Sensors developed by A2PEX partners will develop electrophysiological and biomarker sensors to assess U.S. Air Force members' stress/fatigue in extreme environments. electroCore’s proprietary TAC-STIM nVNS has been commissioned by IHMC for integration into the A2PEX system to mitigate fatigue and augment performance. TAC-STIM is a form of nVNS for human performance and has been developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense Biotech Optimized for Operational Solutions and Tactics, or BOOST program, and AFRL.
“We are honored to have been selected to be a part of the A2PEX program,” electroCore CEO Dan Goldberger said. “We look forward to working with our A2PEX partners to developing a system that can further support our servicemen and women in their critical missions.”
The Air Force has identified the need to develop materials and wearable devices to assess and augment pilots' cognitive performance in aerospace environments such as multi-day transoceanic operational and logistic flights as well as long duration remotely piloted aircraft missions. Fatigue resulting from these extreme stressors can evolve into chronic health problems, and cause decrements in judgement and vigilance resulting in severe aviation mishaps. A 2020 National Commission on Military Aviation Safety report concluded the more than 6,000 military aviation accidents that killed 224 pilots or aircrew were largely a result of chronic fatigue.1
“The development of an integrated system that can sense, assess, and augment the performance of our airmen and airwomen is integral to the mission of AFRL and a high priority of the United States Air Force,” stated Dr. Regina Shia, AFRL’s project manager for A2PEX.
“We are pleased to have assembled a group of human performance partners to deliver a product that can meet the needs of the Air Force," added Dr. Timothy Broderick, chief science officer, senior research scientist at IHMC and A2PEX co-primary investigator. "TAC-STIM was selected for this project based on its demonstrated ability to mitigate fatigue and improve performance in several relevant environments.”
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the U.S. Air Force. AFRL leads the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for the nation's air, space, and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development.
IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System where researchers pioneer science and technology aimed at leveraging and extending human capabilities. IHMC researchers and staff collaborate extensively with the government, industry, and academia to help develop breakthrough technologies. IHMC research partners have included DARPA, the National Science Foundation, NASA, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, National Institutes of Health, IBM, Microsoft, Honda, Boeing, Lockheed, and many others.
electroCore, Inc. is a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company developing a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) technology platform. It aims to commercialize medical devices to manage and treat certain medical conditions and consumer product offerings utilizing nVNS to promote general wellbeing and human performance in the United States and select overseas markets.
Reference
1 https://thehill.com/policy/defense/528689-report-on-military-aviation-crashes-faults-lack-of-training-chronic-fatigue/
A2PEX aims to build a wearable system to sense, assess, and augment cognitive performance in operational environments. Sensors developed by A2PEX partners will develop electrophysiological and biomarker sensors to assess U.S. Air Force members' stress/fatigue in extreme environments. electroCore’s proprietary TAC-STIM nVNS has been commissioned by IHMC for integration into the A2PEX system to mitigate fatigue and augment performance. TAC-STIM is a form of nVNS for human performance and has been developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense Biotech Optimized for Operational Solutions and Tactics, or BOOST program, and AFRL.
“We are honored to have been selected to be a part of the A2PEX program,” electroCore CEO Dan Goldberger said. “We look forward to working with our A2PEX partners to developing a system that can further support our servicemen and women in their critical missions.”
The Air Force has identified the need to develop materials and wearable devices to assess and augment pilots' cognitive performance in aerospace environments such as multi-day transoceanic operational and logistic flights as well as long duration remotely piloted aircraft missions. Fatigue resulting from these extreme stressors can evolve into chronic health problems, and cause decrements in judgement and vigilance resulting in severe aviation mishaps. A 2020 National Commission on Military Aviation Safety report concluded the more than 6,000 military aviation accidents that killed 224 pilots or aircrew were largely a result of chronic fatigue.1
“The development of an integrated system that can sense, assess, and augment the performance of our airmen and airwomen is integral to the mission of AFRL and a high priority of the United States Air Force,” stated Dr. Regina Shia, AFRL’s project manager for A2PEX.
“We are pleased to have assembled a group of human performance partners to deliver a product that can meet the needs of the Air Force," added Dr. Timothy Broderick, chief science officer, senior research scientist at IHMC and A2PEX co-primary investigator. "TAC-STIM was selected for this project based on its demonstrated ability to mitigate fatigue and improve performance in several relevant environments.”
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the U.S. Air Force. AFRL leads the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for the nation's air, space, and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development.
IHMC is a not-for-profit research institute of the Florida University System where researchers pioneer science and technology aimed at leveraging and extending human capabilities. IHMC researchers and staff collaborate extensively with the government, industry, and academia to help develop breakthrough technologies. IHMC research partners have included DARPA, the National Science Foundation, NASA, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, National Institutes of Health, IBM, Microsoft, Honda, Boeing, Lockheed, and many others.
electroCore, Inc. is a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company developing a non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) technology platform. It aims to commercialize medical devices to manage and treat certain medical conditions and consumer product offerings utilizing nVNS to promote general wellbeing and human performance in the United States and select overseas markets.
Reference
1 https://thehill.com/policy/defense/528689-report-on-military-aviation-crashes-faults-lack-of-training-chronic-fatigue/