Request For Concept Papers On Exoskeleton Technologies For The Warfighter
The Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (CCDC SC) is conducting a Request for Information (RFI) for Concept (White) Papers on U.S. Exoskeleton Technologies for Soldier applications. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP). The Army must meet the demands of the future strategic environment in alignment with its strategic vision and priorities. As such, the Army must make the Brigade Combat Team (BCT) leaner while retaining capability, preventing overmatch, and setting the conditions for fundamental change.
The CCDC SC is interested in advancement of human physical performance augmentation such as wearable load assistance technologies and exoskeletons. Technologies should exhibit the potential to assist high stress/high fatigue tasks such as heavy and repetitive lifting and other forms of load transportation, combat, mission support, and other lethality based operations. The Army views exoskeletons as a capability to enable Soldier Lethality, which is among the Army's top Modernization Priorities as well as direct support to mission readiness.
Concept papers will serve to educate the Army on the state of technology and match the current performance of said technologies against Soldier-relevant activities. The Army seeks to assess the state of the U.S. market of Sustainment-type exoskeleton approaches to improve Soldier performance during repetitive logistics and sustainment load tasks. The focus of this RFI is Mission Support Type - physiological assist technologies that augment load carriage and reduce Soldier burden, helping the wearer to conduct load tasks in logistics, sustainment, combat, and combat support environments. These tasks include, but are not limited to: heavy and/or repetitive supply lifting, loading, unloading, and transporting water, food, and ammunition. Key focuses are strength assist, and throughput/productivity augmentation. Customization of end-effectors based on lift, move, and carry tasks may be desired.
Exoskeleton(s) of interest must exhibit user safety, comfort, ease of use, energy efficiency (if applicable), cost effectiveness, and system's compatibility with Soldier, mission, clothing and mission equipment. Exoskeletons currently under evaluation in market settings such as Industry (e.g. Automotive), Other Government Agencies, or related applications are highly desired.
Papers should include a brief technical description of the system, the type of environment and tasks it is best suited for, and where applicable, the length of time that it has been under evaluation, synopsis of preliminary user feedback, and the Technical Point of Contact for the project (e.g. Automotive Industry Representative, Government POC or other). Submissions must include quantifiable data showing technical and operational maturity. A brief assessment of how the capability will meet the requirements stated below is expected. Cost of end products or anticipated cost per unit must be included.
The Army is interested in mission support exoskeleton systems, including, but not limited to, the following types:
1. Logistics/sustainment type system to enhance lifting, loading, unloading, and transporting tasks. May require compatibility with tools or other common DoD Service load interfaces.
a. Light Tasks - Assists lightweight but ergonomically challenging tasks.
b. Medium Lift and Carry - Makes individual Soldier lifting tasks safer and more effective.
c. Heavy Lift and Carry - Exoskeleton enables multi-person load handling tasks to be carried out with a single person (i.e. human forklift) safely. Serves as a force multiplier, creating a smaller force with greater capabilities.
2. Specialized Capability Platform to enable and reduce the physical work effort of specific application sets (e.g. Situational Awareness, Lethality, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and other forms of up-armor, and chemical & biological protection).
Specific Soldier tasks of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Conduct unit resupply of Logistics Package (LOGPAC) by loading and unloading items from tactical vehicle
b. Conduct aircraft and/or vehicle maintenance tasks
c. Conduct engineering-type operations - digging, building bridges, concertina wire, pickets, or other structures, moving equipment
Exoskeletons proposed must align with at least 1 of the 4 exoskeleton system types above (1a, 1b, 1c, 2), be at a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of "5" (TRL Descriptions: https://www.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/404585.pdf), and provide a self-assessment of the TRL with supporting data. In addition, proposers shall outline system availability for a Soldier Touch Point late 2019-early 2020. Proposed systems will be compared with the conventional solutions to determine their technical and operational viability.
No non-U.S. exoskeletons will be pursued at this time. All interested US-based firms, regardless of size are encouraged to submit a Concept Paper to CCDC SC IAW BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT (BAA) FOR BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH Solicitation Number W911QY-15-R-0016 Amendment 0002 - March 29, 2019 Effective from 1 March 2015 - 28 February 2020, which can be found at: https://www3.natick.army.mil/NSRDEC-Broad-Agency-Announcement.aspx . Offerors shall submit concept papers that are consistent with the intent of the BAA and guidelines set forth in this RFI. Instruction for the submission for topic H-3 "Warfighter Advanced Technologies - Human Augmentation Technologies". Proprietary information will not be disclosed outside the government. Nothing shall be construed herein or through the RFI process to commit or obligate the government to further action as a result of this RFI. Firms responding to this RFI shall bear all risk and expense of any resources used to provide the requested information, and all information submitted in response to this request shall become property of the Government and will not be returned to the submitter.
Responses shall be submitted by 5 PM EST on July 25, 2019, and may be sent via email to gregory.b.kanagaki.civ@mail.mil or by regular mail to CCDC SC (ATTN: Greg Kanagaki), General Greene Avenue, Natick, MA, 01760. Point Of Contact: Greg Kanagaki, 508-233-6060.
Shawn P. Haubner, Contract Specialist, Email shawn.p.haubner.civ@mail.mil
