DASA Competition: Human Augmentation
This competition is looking for Human Augmentation technologies that mitigate human performance as the limiting factor in a UK Defence environment.
Opportunity Details
When
Registration Opens
01/05/2023
Registration Closes
13/06/2023
Award
The total funding available for this competition is up to £2 million (Exc. VAT). DASA expects to fund 5-10 proposals. However, DASA reserves the right to fund one outstanding bid up to £2 million (Exc. VAT) that demonstrates value for money, provides high quality supporting evidence to deliver on the competition focus.
Organisation
DASA
As the battlefield becomes more complex and the demands on our personnel increase, in order to win tactical advantage Armed Forces personnel will have to out-think and out-pace their adversaries. If Human Augmentation (HA) technologies can be harnessed safely and ethically to develop enhanced levels of performance beyond that which can be achieved by innate talent, aptitude and learning, it is possible they could afford improvements in capability across the whole force.
This Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) competition aims to develop safe and ethical, Generation-After-Next (GAN) prototype HA technologies that mitigate human performance as the limiting factor in a UK Defence environment.
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DASA do not give any explicit restrictions on who can apply or lead an application, but any organisation based outside the UK would be unlikely to be eligible. If you are unsure as to whether you or your organisation can apply, competition queries including on process, application, commercial, technical and intellectual property aspects should be sent to the DASA Help Centre at accelerator@dstl.gov.uk, quoting the competition title.
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Human Augmentation (HA) is the use of science or technology to temporarily or permanently modify human performance. It includes optimisation, enhancement, reducing the potential for performance degradation by stressors (e.g. climate, equipment, task) and restoration of individuals. HA encompasses a range of technologies including, but not limited to; exoskeletons, wearables, genetics, brain interfaces, pharmaceuticals, and bioinformatics.
Suppliers will be invited to submit proposals to develop HA technologies to reduce human performance as the limiting factor in Defence scenarios. Suppliers should focus on technologies that influence the following human capabilities and aptitudes, including but not limiting to:
- sensory enhancement to support mission outcomes
- collaborative working (including human-human and human-machine)
- attention during tasks with a cognitive element
- enhanced decision making (reduced time and improved outcomes)
- physical endurance
- strength
- overcoming limitations to physical and cognitive fatigue
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Suppliers are invited to develop and prototype a HA technology to TRL 5-6. (E.g. test and evaluation of a prototype in a relevant environment).
For this competition, a relevant environment is one that can be simulated in a laboratory setting, for example, a control room, a treadmill based march, extreme (controlled) environments and a scenario that includes decision making as a team or a scenario that is presented in virtual reality. Please note that these examples are not exhaustive.
This competition has 3 use cases. Suppliers will be invited to submit proposals against one (or a combination) of the following use cases:
Use Case 1: Biofeedback Systems
Systems that measure user state, interpret the resulting data and deliver an effect based on the data.Use Case 2: The Warfighter Ensemble
Equipment that is worn closely on the body and is designed to optimise and enhance biological functions.Use Case 3: Sensory Enhancements
Enhancing the human senses beyond typical biological capability. -
Project ideas, limited to 500 word Expression of Interest (EOI) may be submitted to an innovator’s Innovation Partner to determine whether the proposal is in scope for this competition.
For advice from Innovate UK KTN, contact Hazel Biggs, KTM Defence and Security.