Center for Adaptive Soldier Technologies (CAST)

Background

The past decades have seen advances in technologies that have expanded to unprecedented levels the technological capabilities a Soldier can wield.  Such advances provide incredible potential for increasing Soldier-system capabilities within the increased complexity of the current and future battlefield.   However, for the individual and team of Soldiers, they also threaten to outstrip their ability to adequately adapt and fully exploit investments in new technologies to successfully complete mission tasks.  The objective of the Center for Adaptive Soldier Technologies (CAST) is to discover the underlying knowledge and create innovative solutions to enable technologies to adapt to individual and teams of Soldiers, rather than simply depend on human adaptation, to improve and optimize Soldier-system performance.

Collaborative focus

  • CAST is currently focused on three 5-year technical projects, which will adapt and grow with new partners:
  • Two-Soldier Crew
  • Brain Computer Interaction Technology
  • The Human Variability Project
  • Real World Neuroimaging
  • Cybernetics

Benefits

  • Collaborative work with CAST partners
  • Shared data, technology, and laboratories and facilities including access to modern laboratories such as ARL’s Mission Impact through Neuro-Inspired Design Lab and Innovation Commons
  • Facilitation in formalizing collaborative relationships defining intellectual property issues
  • Participation in strategic and technical discussion through targeted workshops and open formats
  • Opportunity to significantly impact the technical projects and management of the CAST

Website

  • The centerpiece of the CAST is a website that:
    • Hosts an ongoing technical dialogue highlighting scientific and engineering advancements
    • Describes the activities and opportunities to enhance the science and technology ecosystem in this specific technical area
    • Describes the community of interest including team partners, research and demonstration focus areas, and associated laboratories and facilities.

  • https://www.arl.army.mil/cast

Point of Contacts

Kaleb McDowell, Ph.D.
Lead of CAST
kaleb.g.mcdowell.civ@mail.mil

Sandy Howard
Business Lead of CAST
sandra.k.howard.civ@mail.mil

Download Factsheet

Participants

Open to government, academia and industry.

Concept of operation

Leadership and membership in the center will be participation based. All general communications are intended to be open across government and non-government entities to ensure the focus of the center is on open collaboration rather than funding.  The organizational structure of the center is not intended to direct research or technology development, but rather to support the creation of an ecosystem of collaboration and opportunity.