Opportunities
09 May 2022

DASA launches new Innovation Focus Area: Human Augmentation (HA)

DASA has launched a new Innovation Focus Area to find Generation-After-Next (GAN) human augmentation technologies for use in defence and security.

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to launch a new Innovation Focus Area (IFA) called Human Augmentation (HA). This IFA is seeking proposals which present GAN solutions to operational challenges for UK Defence and Security, where the human performance is the limiting factor for delivering operational effect.

This IFA is run on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) HA Science and Technology (S&T) project.

DASA expects to fund proposals to a value around £70K which provide a proof of concept within a 6 month contract.

Human augmentation technologies in defence

HA is the use of Science and Technology (S&T) to temporarily or permanently modify human performance. As the battlefield becomes more complex and more advanced technologies become available, the operational demands and technical challenges on our defence and security personnel will increase. It is vital to explore if human augmentation technologies can be harnessed safely, legally and ethically to develop enhanced levels of operator (and system) performance in military and security capability.

DASA are interested in GAN technologies that deliver a competitive advantage to UK Defence and Security by:

  • optimising physical and/or psychological performance
  • enhancing physical and/or psychological performance
  • enabling an individual to work for longer at a desired level (baseline) of performance
  • supporting performance restoration

Examples of candidate HA technologies include, but are not limited to:

  • wearable assistive devices (e.g. exoskeletons and technologies to enhance senses)
  • sensory enhancement technologies
  • nutritional supplements
  • pharmacological interventions
  • manipulation of the microbiomes
  • neurotechnologies
  • novel materials
  • implantable devices
  • synthetic biology
  • cross reality
  • robotics
  • artificial intelligence

Submit a proposal

Do you have a solution or novel approach that may help contribute to the portfolio of human augmentation capabilities and promote UK Government’s understanding of their appropriate (potential) use? Submit an idea and help DASA and Dstl accelerate the development of human augmentation technologies for defence and delivering military effect.

Read the full competition document to learn more and submit a proposal. 

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