MedRAS News Archive 2019

Ms. Rebecca Lee of TATRC’s Medical Intelligent Systems Lab is the Q1 Employee of the Quarter at TATRC HQ for continuing her outstanding work and untiring efforts as a Medical Robotic & Autonomous Systems (MED-RAS) Research Projects Biomedical Engineer. Ms. Lee represents the future of Army medical technology research and engineering. She aggressively and enthusiastically takes on and promptly completes any program management task, whether it involves science and engineering or administrative, managerial or training tasks.

Team TATRC does it again! On 29 October, the first flight and demonstration of the DP-14 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) was successfully held at the Warren Grove Gunnery Range in New Jersey. The project originated from TATRC’s Medical Intelligent Systems Lab and concluded the first phase of a research collaboration between TATRC, the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Lab (USAARL), and DPI UAV Systems (DPI).

Last fall, TATRC personnel packed up and headed off to visit the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) Surgeon’s Office to collaborate with the United Kingdom’s military telemedicine lead, Lt Col Oliver Bartels. Mr. James Beach, Project Manager from TATRC’s Medical Intelligent Systems Lab traveled as part of a multi-Service delegation, along with Dr. Greg Burnett from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Mr. Jeff Luciano from the Program Management Office, Special Operations Forces Support Survival Equipment Systems. Over the course of four days hosted at the MOD’s main building and the HMS President in London, the group met with 46 MOD personnel to conduct capability demonstrations with the Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK™), and to discuss TATRC’s research roadmap for Virtual Health.

TATRC’s Medical Intelligent Systems Laboratory (MISL) has been at it again. Last summer the MISL team conducted another research event at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB MDL) ranges in New Jersey. This year’s event concentrated on collecting data on the latest research project that is focused on cloud capability on a military tactical radio network.

Following an initial meeting in the National Capital Area in April of the NATO Human Factors in Medicine (HFM) Autonomous Tactical Evacuation Exploratory Team (ET) chaired by Dr. Gary Gilbert, TATRC’s Lead for the Medical Intelligent Systems Lab, subject matter experts from multinational military departments of France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States came together again for a follow-up in Munich, Germany from 24 - 26 Sep 2019 to conclude the panel’s initial work.

Team TATRC made their way to the sunshine state in Kissimmee, Florida from 19 – 23 August for the MHS Research Symposium (MHSRS). The Annual MHSRS, held at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, is the Department of Defense’s premier scientific meeting that focuses on Combat Casualty Care (CCC).

Mr. James Beach of TATRC’s Medical Intelligent Systems / Operational Medicine Laboratory was selected as TATRC’s Employee of the Quarter for his continuing excellent work and untiring efforts as a Research & Support Project Manager for the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Joint Medical Exchange & Dissemination of Information for Combat Casualty Care (J-MEDIC3) Project, and for leading the efforts in supporting field evaluations of operational telemedicine and tactical medical information exchange technologies in collaboration with USSOCOM, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Army PEO Aviation, and the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC).

The 2019 Special Operations Medical Association’s (SOMA) Annual Symposium (SOMSA) was held 7 - 10 May in Charlotte, NC and key personnel from TATRC actively participated at this important yearly event. SOMA, a non-profit organization, focuses on the education and training of the Special Forces and Special Operations Combat Medics, who are often alone and unsupported in both tactical or non-tactical circumstances in remote, austere, and hostile environments.

Team TATRC had the honor and pleasure of being a part of the third biennial Department of Defense Lab Day 2019 held at the Pentagon Courtyard hosted by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) which took place on 25 April.

On 22 April, TATRC had the privilege of briefing the Honorable Thomas McCaffery, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD-HA), during his visit to USAMRDC HQ. Mr. Nate Fisher, of TATRC’s Medical Intelligent Systems Lab, was on hand to demonstrate to Mr. McCaffery the key concepts of medical robotics and autonomous systems.

A joint team of collaborators came together at Camp Bullis, TX from 8 – 12 April to review and provide initial feedback on TATRC’s Medical Data Cloud (MDC) research study by examining multiple medical functional areas enhanced through innovative technology solutions.

For several years now, TATRC has performed research, mostly via Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) initiatives, in enabling technologies that allow combat casualties on future battlefields to be evacuated via unmanned “Robotic” ground or air systems.

On 26 February, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) had the privilege and honor of hosting General John “Mike” Murray, AFC Commander, for a demonstration, tour, and briefing of the Command, which included TATRC as one of the highlighted participants.