Advanced Wearable Integration and Synchronization Hub (AWISH)

Navy SBIR 24.1 - Topic N241-064
ONR - Office of Naval Research
Pre-release 11/29/23   Opens to accept proposals 1/03/24   Now Closes 2/21/24 12:00pm ET    [ View Q&A ]

N241-064 TITLE: Advanced Wearable Integration and Synchronization Hub (AWISH)

OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Human-Machine Interfaces; Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems

OBJECTIVE: Develop a hub system that optimizes data capture, synchronization times, and integrates data collected from physiological wearable devices.

DESCRIPTION: It is well known that insufficient sleep quality and quantity lead to health and performance decrements – which can be catastrophic in military settings. In response to the Government Accountability Office recommendations to Congress on fatigue in the Navy (GAO-21-366), the Command Readiness, Endurance, and Watchstanding (CREW) program is advancing a fatigue monitoring and mitigation solution for the Navy. An initial prototype of a wearable-based infrastructure has been developed and tested with several ships (e.g., USS San Diego, USS Montgomery). However, technical improvements are required to move this product from a research and development phase to a pre-commercialization phase to support at scale deployment.

The objective of this SBIR topic is to develop a standalone hub system capable of capturing data off physiological wearable devices (e.g., Oura ring, Polar Grit X Pro, PowerWatch, etc.) and then to push the data to the backend data infrastructure. These data captured shall provide an early indicator for fatigue and sleep deficiency for which mitigation strategies may be implemented. The hub system should reduce active human interactions which in turn will reduce human error; as well as optimize sync transfer times between wearables and the hub, increase data throughput, extend bluetooth range for Pi devices evaluate (and/or identify alternative device to use), and create a system dashboard U/I that provides real time stats and allows ease of access/control over the networked system (primary/lead hub and subordinate hubs) to push time updates, monitoring system a stand-alone light weight server. The hub should create a solution for message queuing and automated pushing of files upon restoration of network connectivity following lost network access. The hub should improve or replace automated method for wearable device pairing. The awardee will deliver complete technical documentation and a complete user manual for both the primary and secondary hubs.

PHASE I: Define and develop a concept for a hub that can meet the hardware and software performance constraints listed in the Description. The hub concept should develop means and methods that advance the current mechanisms for data capture and transfer from wearable physiological devices. The hub concept should be backend architecture agnostic, meaning that it should be able to push to a multitude of data management architectures. The Phase I option, if exercised, would include the initial layout and capabilities description to build the hub in Phase II.

PHASE II: Develop a prototype hub based on Phase I work for demonstration and validation. The prototype hub should be delivered at the end of Phase II, ready to be fielded by the Government.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Integrate the Phase II developed hub prototype into deployed Naval vessels and transition finalized product to Naval Surface Force (SURFOR). The Phase III hub should integrate with the CREW data infrastructure used by the Navy. Dual uses in the commercial sector include sporting teams and emergency services (e.g., Fire, EMS).

REFERENCES:

  1. Chinoy, E. D., et.al "Performance of seven consumer sleep-tracking devices compared with polysomnography." Sleep, Vol. 44, Issue 5, 2020. Oxford University Press (OUP). https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaa291
  2. Reifman, J., Ramakrishnan, S., Liu, J., Kapela, A., Doty, T. J., Balkin, T. J., Kumar, K., & Khitrov, M. Y. " 2B]Alert App: A mobile application for real]time individualized prediction of alertness." Journal of Sleep Research, Vol. 28, Issue 2, 2018. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12725
  3. Stamatakis, K. A., & Punjabi, N. M. "Effects of Sleep Fragmentation on Glucose Metabolism in Normal Subjects." Chest. Vol. 137, Issue 1, 2010, pp. 95.101. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.09-0791
  4. Taylor, K. S., et al. "Arousal From Sleep and Sympathetic Excitation During Wakefulness." Hypertension, Vol. 68, Issue 6, 2016, pp. 1467-1474. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). https://doi.org/10.1161/hypertensionaha.116.08212
  5. Troxel, W.M. "Sleep Problems and Their Impact on US Service members." Rand Corp, 180(1), 4.6, 2015. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9823.html
  6. Watson, N.F. "Recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult: A joint consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society." Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 11(6), 2015, pp. 591-592. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.4716

KEYWORDS: Physiological monitoring, sleep, fatigue, wearables, human performance, data integration

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Topic Q & A

1/15/24  Q. 1. Can we assume that the system should support sensor device (using Bluetooth) “handover”, without the need for user interaction, between hubs as users are moving around in the ship?
2. If so, should the handover mechanism minimize (or avoid) disruption of ongoing data transfers from the sensor device to the hub and local server, or is some data loss accepted? What is an acceptable delay to make a handover (in milliseconds or seconds)?
   A. 1. Correct. “Handovers” must occur without user involvement / interaction.
2. Data loss is not acceptable. Objective for “handover” / transfer is to 10-seconds, threshold is 2-mins. There is some flexibility on these general time ranges though.

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