EVOLVING INNOVATION


FIGURE 1


could contribute close to 4,000 “raw” ideas during the four Web-based brain- storming games planned for SciTech Recon 2030. A team of analysts that the ODASA(R&T) recruited from govern- ment labs, academia and industry will mine these data for important insights and concepts that can inform strategic decision-making. Te team will com- bine formal analysis techniques, such as technology sequence analysis, with expert interviews and archival research to identify insights about the nature of conflict in 2030-40, capabilities the Army might need in future operations, and technology concepts that could pro- vide overmatch for the future force.


SERIOUS PLAY SciTech Recon 2030 uses Web-based brainstorming games to gather ideas about future technol- ogy and military operations. The second game, in February, explored developments in materials science; energy; biology, medical and other life sciences; and robotics. Perhaps more important than the scenarios themselves, though, are the ideas and connections that develop among players. (SOURCE: ODASA(R&T))


not pan out, but the basic idea drove


interesting discussion about how we could better disguise troop movement in congested urban centers.


Te second game, which ran from Feb. 24 to 28, explored how developments in materials science; energy; biology, medical and other life sciences; and robotics over the next 30 years will shape society and military capabilities. (See Figure 1.)


Te third game, scheduled for late April, will build on ideas gathered in the first two games and dig more deeply into ideas for technologies that could provide overmatch capabilities across a range of potential Army operations in the mega- cities of 2030-40, such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and counter-


terrorism. Te fourth and final game, scheduled for early May, will zero in on four specific topics that the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technol- ogy (OASA(ALT)) and TRADOC have identified as important areas for innova- tion: mobile protected fires (robotics and unmanned fire support); identity control technologies (friend versus foe and de- ception technologies); enhancing human performance (cognitive and physical aug- mentation); and communications “be- yond digital” (quantum communications and other technologies).


ANALYZING IDEAS, UNCOVERING INSIGHTS Based on the number of ideas gener- ated in the first two games, players


90


As an example, there was a rich discussion during the first exercise about trends in human augmentation, including technologies


such as exoskeletons that can enhance physical performance and


“nootropic” drugs that can boost mental performance. A number of players commented that in future megacities, these augmentations could be common in the civilian population. Te wealthy might shop for night vision-enhanced contact lenses at trendy “augmentation boutiques,” while poor manual laborers might buy used exoskeletons from black market “chop shops.” Players discussed how the Army would handle crowd control, or partner with augmented civilians during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.


Te theme of augmentation continued during the second exercise, with players contributing Web links to the latest research on performance enhancements, such as U.S. Special Operations Command’s


Tactical Assault Light


Operator Suit program, which aims to field a full-body exoskeleton to special operations units as early as 2018. Players debated the technical challenges of this


Army AL&T Magazine


April–June 2014


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200