U.S. Army Special Operations Command seeking new biometric technology

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM) (www.soc.mil) has posted a request for information (RFT) to evaluate selected exploitation technologies from March 27 to 31 at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, according to a report by Sofrep.

In a November 7 Federal Register notice, SOCOM invited industry, academia, individuals, and government labs to submit technology nominations for which SOCOM will provide input.

The event is designed to improve collaboration between SOCOM and technology providers as well as to identify technologies that support sensitive site exploitation (SSE), military information support operations (MISO), and human performance, according to the notice. The deadline for submissions is at 12 pm EST on December 7.

The RFI also unveiled anticipated dates for tentative future technology demonstrations, with SOCOM planning to open an RFI in February 2017 for demonstrations of command, control, communications.

In addition, SOCOM is planning demonstrations for computers (C4) and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River July 17 to 21.

Finally, the command is planning to open a third RFI in June 2017 for combat swimmer/diver technologies at the Army Diving Training Center in Key West, Florida November 13 to 17.

SOCOM described specific technologies and capabilities under each category it seeks to explore during the March demonstration.

For Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) technologies, it seeks voice matching; hand-held hidden chamber materials of interest detection; rapid DNA portable processing; facial recognition up to one kilometer; dustless fingerprint collection; media exploitation capabilities; explosive detection kits; and embedded hazard detection.

For MISO, SOCOM is looking for technologies that can provide persistent cellular data service into denied areas; sentiment analysis of social media comments; radio, television, internet messaging, and cellular access into denied areas; and automated translation technology.

And for human performance, the command seeks physiological status and heart rate monitoring devices; optimal performance strategies for harsh conditions; new technologies that can boost performance; methods for measuring the nutritional status of SOF operators; and innovative approaches for determining the interaction between SOF-common medications and dietary supplements.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Department of Defense  |  dna  |  facial recognition  |  fingerprint biometrics  |  request for information  |  voice recognition