The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is interested in proposals for wearable sensor technologies to provide an early warning capability for chemical and biological threat exposure.
The ideal deployable system would be a very low burden, minimally invasive, wear-and-forget device. An emphasis is given to multi-parameter sensing system designs capable of differentiating typical battlefield stresses from measureable responses to chemical and biological threat exposure, to include physiological responses.
“DoD and the commercial diagnostics industry has made considerable progress toward better, cheaper, more applicable, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) -waived diagnostic tools,” states the announcement. “However, more work is needed to provide the warfighter with advanced warning on when to deploy these tools. Ideally, personnel should not have to wait for overt symptoms to develop before engaging diagnostics.”
Proposals must specify the measured markers and the anticipated exposure/performance parameters indicated by the planned measurements.
Sensor systems should include all required components, including batteries appropriate for an extended mission lifetime, and should not require reagents or other consumables.
The effort is part of DTRA Broad Agency Announcement: HDTRA1-14-CHEM-BIO-BAA. The deadline to submit questions is Dec. 3. Initial proposals are due by Dec. 22, 2014.
