Human Effectiveness Advanced Technology Development

The Human Effectiveness Advanced Technology Development program is designed to improve Airman performance and effectiveness through advanced technology development and demonstration. Managed by the Air Force under the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation appropriation, this initiative targets key areas such as warfighter training, system interfaces, directed energy bioeffects, and the deployment and sustainment of warfighters in extreme environments. Additionally, it aims to understand and influence adversarial behavior.

The Directed Energy Bioeffects Parameters project focuses on predicting, evaluating, and mitigating the effects of directed energy on personnel and mission performance. It examines the offensive capabilities of directed energy systems while developing human components for testing guidelines and protection from high-power microwave and laser systems. This project also advances modeling tools for risk analysis and countermeasures against directed energy threats.

The Biosciences Performance Demonstration project is dedicated to sustaining airman performance in adverse environments by integrating advances in molecular biology, cognitive performance optimization, and non-invasive monitoring devices. It seeks to develop solutions for sensing and mitigating performance degradation due to factors like fatigue and stress. The project also emphasizes enhancing airmen's ability to learn new skills rapidly and maintain proficiency.

The Mission Effective Performance project enhances warfighter readiness through advanced training, simulation, and mission rehearsal technologies. It supports interactive Live-Virtual-Constructive environments for training across air, space, and cyber domains. Meanwhile, the Warfighter Interfaces project aims to revolutionize how airmen use Air Force systems by developing adaptive interfaces that optimize human-machine collaboration for improved situational awareness.