Digital Battlefield

Innovation for Future Warriors

The accelerated development of digital technology to
enhance our everyday lives is unstoppable, and set to
continue on its skyward trajectory. We are now seeing
an increase in the melding of innovative concepts
from disparate scientific and technical fields in what
has been dubbed innofusion, to advance all areas
from medical to military.
Disciplines like biotechnology, biomechanics, and
synthetic technology, are being combined to drive
research and the inception of a multitude of new
concepts and realities. No longer are science fiction
films the realms of fantasy, as technology that was
once out of reach is now within our grasp.
Within this paper we explore some of the innovative
technologies being developed across these different
scientific disciplines in the consumer space, and look
at what their application might be in order to help and
empower future soldiers.
ENHANCED STRENGTH
Works of fiction such as Iron Man are motivating the
growing 'maker' culture. Inspired engineers in garages
across the globe are working on the construction of
exoskeleton technology capable of augmenting the
human bodies range of motion and strengths.
We have seen Matt Damon experience the fusing of
biology with biomechanics in Elysium, and Tom
Cruise piloting advanced exoskeletons in Edge of
Tomorrow. The technology we have seen portrayed
in films is nearer to our reality than you may think.
Within medical research, the advancements made in
biomechanics are accelerating work on prosthetics,
and starting to help improve the lives of those who
have suffered the loss of a limb. We have already seen
great advancements in this field with incredible
breakthroughs from Professor Hugh Herr and team, as
demonstrated at TED in 2014.
The evolution of biomechanics has obvious military
potential. Several organisations have experimented

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with exoskeleton technology that enables infantry

soldiers to carry weights far in excess of their unaided
capability. Soldiers are able to haul more, but still
arrive at their destination alert and prepared for
action, with the exoskeleton bearing the burden.
Development companies like Lockheed Martin are
already developing both powered and unpowered
Exoskeleton rigs - TALOS and FORTIS respectively. The
HULC was an earlier incarnation, and whilst no longer
in development, this experimental hydraulic-powered
anthropomorphic exoskeleton proved itself capable of
carrying loads of up to 200 pounds.
INNOVATIVE DEFENSIVE ARMOUR
The standard armour employed, whilst doing what it
is designed to do keep the wearer safe from harm, is
often cumbersome and therefore covers a relatively
small proportion of the body to keep weight down
and movement free. Even if weight is lowered through
Kevlar, this does not permit the soldier to move in the
most effective manner.
Moratex Institute of Security Technologies have
developed what they call Sheer Thickening Fluid (STF),
which is claimed to be lighter and more flexible than
standard armour. A liquid that reacts to impact and
creates an impenetrable barrier, allows for more of
the soldiers body to be protected, without the weight
or movement penalty.

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Regular antiballistic armour can still permits some

injury due to the impact of the projectile as it hits the
armour. Moratex claim they have eliminated the risk
by cutting this impact down from 4cm to 1cm.
DATA VISUALISATION
Augmented reality technology, first brought to
mainstream attention by Google through their Glass
programme, opened the door to innovators working
to replicate and surpass the capabilities that Google
have engineered. The ability to have key information
displayed in line of sight presents some interesting
possibilities in several fields.
In 2014 the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre in
Boston experimented with Glass to help ER doctors
spend more time diagnosing and treating patients,
and less time on paperwork. Through integration with
QR codes, they engineered a system to allow medical
staff to see the latest patient information beamed
directly into their field of vision as they entered the
patients room, allowing for more quality interaction.
Again like so many technological innovations, this
same augmented technology is being developed for
military purposes, with troops on the ground no
longer reliant on maps and paper based information.
All key data and topographical information for their
environment can be displayed on a transparent
monocle or glasses within line of sight, overlaid with
satellite feeds beamed to the heads up display.
The potential here should not be underestimated, as
the ability for the foot soldier in hostile territory to
remain focussed and not be preoccupied by paper
based intel and secondary electronic mapping devices,
could literally save their life. Relevant information is
streamed directly to a display within their field of
vision, allowing the soldier to navigate and react to
the latest orders, or pull up crucial information and
schematics for the location.
REMOTE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Advancements in the field of digital personal health
monitoring were kick-started by the mainstream
uptake of wristbands communicating with mobile
phones to report on activity. Whilst this could be seen
as a fad, the potential in the field of medicine is
grounded in reality, and a need to allow for better
self-maintenance. Self-monitoring capability of vital
data from blood pressure to glucose levels are all a

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reality today, with devices available to allow patients

to stay in control of their own health and well-being.
For the military soldier, these sorts of technologies
have been around for some time, but as we discussed
at the start, these advancements are having a greater
impact now that disparate scientific innovations are
being fused together in ways not attempted before.
Through innovation we have already discussed how
our infantry soldiers can hike further, carry more
equipment, and still arrive fresh and alert, thereby not
encountering fatigue induced danger. They will always
be focussed on the task at hand as vital information
and geographical data is displayed in their line of
sight, alongside the latest orders and alerts with no
need to break silence for radio contact.
What if their vital signs and operating health could be
monitored remotely from base, with necessary action
directed and taken in the form of pre-emptive medical
treatment. In 2015 the US Department of Defence
announced the formation of a consortium with Apple,
Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. The focus of this new
partnership was the development of new innovative
wearable technology, that would enable monitoring
of a soldiers physical condition in the field, permitting
pre-emptive action to be taken to ensure the safety of
the individual and hence the team.
If we now focus on treatment in extreme locations,
there are many innovative approaches being trialled
for new ways to perform routine medical procedures.
Professor Mark Kendalls work on the needle-free
vaccination provides a method for administration of
medication without a syringe, instead utilising a patch
applied to the skin. This enables a more efficient
delivery of the dosage targeted at the dermal and
epidermal layers of skin, therefore reacting quickly
and allowing a more rapid infusion of the needed
medicine into the blood stream and immune system.

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Imagine the benefits this medicine delivery system

would have to to infantry soldier in a remote location.
The monitoring system identifies an injury or need for
medication, and the soldier simply applies a patch to
the skin to deliver the needed medicine in seconds.
THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS
In modern consumer communications we have seen
3G become 4G, and now the development of 5G
technology is accelerating towards the 2020 target
release date envisaged by most vendors. With test
speeds so far achieving in excess of 1 Gb/s, but more
importantly dramatically reduced latency, 5G will
permit a new wave of communication that is still not
feasible with todays technology.
Autonomous vehicles and future communication
needs will be facilitated by this increased capability,
but what of our future soldier?
For urban scenarios where telecommunication signals
can be received, 5G will increase the amount of
tactical data the can be fed to the soldier in the field,
but this will not help in remote locations where there
are no cell towers.
Technology such as Rajant Kinetic Mesh networks can
be employed to ensure connectivity is maintained,
even in remote and hostile territory. This technology
is being continuously improved, and when active can
provide moving vehicles with continuous connectivity
via a number of link points including airborne hubs.
With technology miniaturisation improving all the
time, the mesh network could soon be established
utilising soldiers as the nodes.
PERSONAL SUPPORT INNOVATION
Within the field of unmanned aerial vehicles, personal
drones have taken the world by storm, with articles
common place in the press. Consumers are able to
buy cheap basic models that come with intelligent
self-stabilisation, right through to the more advanced
autonomous drones capable of flying predetermined
routes, whilst avoiding and reacting to any obstacles
encountered along the way.
Raffaello D'Andrea and his research team work on the
advanced capabilities of autonomous drones that can
think and solve physical problems using algorithms
that help them learn. The capability of current drones
is impressive, with features including follow me, and
the ability to carry 2-kilogram payloads.

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The limiting factor in their usefulness right now is

flight time based on the poor limitations of todays
battery technology. To improve the flight time, there
are companies currently working on alternate power
for drones, including Top Flight Technologies, who
have developed a hybrid fuel cell providing 2.5-hours
flight time whilst able to carry a 9-kilogram payload.
We will see further developments in this space over
the next year, especially in battery technology.
For military support, these drones could be used by
infantry soldiers as a digital point man, relaying
crucial information about targets and terrain directly
to the augmented headset we discussed earlier. This
would provide soldiers with early warning of potential
threats or changes to operations from a perspective
not attainable through standard satellite surveillance.
By having this visual feed beamed directly into the AR
glasses, the soldier can anticipate changes to mission
parameters, and gain a clearer insight into what lies
ahead through images and rendered views.
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
With all of these technologies and more being melded
together, we are seeing incredible innovation across
all scientific sectors, both in the consumer space and
the business world.
Specialised industries such as the medical profession
can now gain access to potential life changing and
lifesaving technology that was once financially out of
reach for general patients.
From a military perspective, the fusing of these
technologies is helping to provide a new perspective
on what is possible, and how rapid innovation can be
introduced into a sector where information and digital
capabilities can have a major impact, not only on the
success of the mission, but in ensuring the soldiers
return home.

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