US Special Operations Forces (SOF) will soon get a new chest-worn sensor capable of tracking vital signs and detecting dangerous gases or chemicals, all at the same time.
Developed by LifeLens Technologies under the army’s Wearable All-hazard Remote-monitoring Program (WARP), the tech is made up of a small adhesive node containing 25 miniature sensors.
Data flows to a fob-sized “gateway” that fuses inputs from the sensors, giving commanders a live view of an operator’s condition and nearby environmental hazards.
The system can integrate with MRI Global’s Tactical Awareness Kit, which merges multiple data streams into a single operational picture for faster, more informed decision-making.
“We’ve been able to integrate with some of those sensors that warfighters are able to carry around and do that chemical sensing,” Steve Carrig, who leads strategic acquisitions at the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND)’s SOF office, told Breaking Defense.
“So you’re not only using the physiological market signs that you’re detecting, you know, heat, stress, fatigue, etc, but then you’re combining it with that environmental monitor as a separate data stream to really inform the subject matter experts that are there in a tactical environment.”
From Concept to Fielding
The tech grew out of a US Department of Defense pilot program to monitor warfighters’ health, which includes tracking physiological stressors in the field.
The JPEO-CBRND began a rapid acquisition effort in January 2024 to test a range of wearable formats, ranging from rings to watches to bands.
LifeLens’ chest-mounted design was selected for its comfort and compatibility with protective gear, which can block screens or interfere with sensors on other devices.
Rings were dropped due to snag hazards in tactical environments, and watches or bands were ruled out because their readings could be compromised by protective suits.
Fielding to select SOF units is planned for late 2025, though the scale of deployment has not been disclosed.
