Introduction to Augmented Reality in Military Training
The U.S. Army is exploring progressive ways to make use of augmented reality (AR) for training and equipment maintenance. Recently, a $3.4 million grant was awarded to a team of Cleveland Clinic researchers to develop an AR tool for assessing whether Warfighters recovering from concussion are able to return to duty.
The Problem of Concussions within the Military
Concussions, also often called mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), are a typical issue within the military. According to the DOD Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, over 80% of the TBI injuries sustained by Service Members between 2000 and 2024 were classified as mTBI. Service Members can experience an mTBI while on deployment, during training, and even when participating in sports. Most injured Service Members are in a position to return to duty inside two weeks, but the present methods for assessing their readiness have some shortcomings.
Current Methods for Assessing Readiness
The current protocol for returning an injured Service Member to duty is named the Progressive Return to Activity (PRA). However, the PRA will not be 100% objective and relies on the Service Member’s self-assessment of their symptoms. This is where the brand new AR tool, called Troop Readiness Evaluation with Augmented Reality Return-to-Duty (Troop READY), is available in. Troop READY uses a Microsoft HoloLens 2 AR headset and a simulated M4 carbine assault rifle to generate realistic scenarios that assess a patient’s cognitive and physical readiness.
How Troop READY Works
Troop READY involves a series of exercises that a patient must complete, including marching, shooting, and breaching and clearing a room. The patient’s cognitive, motor, and task performance capabilities are then analyzed using machine learning algorithms to find out the severity of any detected symptoms. The tool provides a more objective assessment of a patient’s readiness to return to duty and will help discover potential issues earlier.
Advantages of Troop READY
Troop READY has several potential benefits over existing methods for assessing mTBI recovery in Service Members. For example, it’s more portable and may be deployed quickly, whereas other tools, equivalent to the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment Laboratory, are fixed in a single location. Additionally, Troop READY has the potential to be adapted to be used in other fields where mTBI is a risk, equivalent to skilled sports, construction, and law enforcement.
Future Development and Deployment
The Cleveland Clinic team, led by Dr. Jay Alberts, will use the grant to refine Troop READY and improve its ability to detect signs of mTBI. The team will conduct a usability study with volunteers and test the tool on a bigger cohort of volunteers to discover baseline performance levels. Before it might probably be deployed, Troop READY will have to be assessed by each the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the DOD for its safety and readiness to be used.
Conclusion
Troop READY is an progressive AR tool that has the potential to revolutionize the way in which the military assesses and treats concussions. With its ability to offer a more objective assessment of a patient’s readiness to return to duty, Troop READY could help Service Members get better faster and more effectively. As the tool continues to be developed and refined, it might also have applications in other fields where mTBI is a risk, making it a beneficial resource for improving health and safety.
