Concepts and conditions for the future soldier

The cognitive soldier of the future is a dismounted soldier that with the help of technological support increases the cognitive performance, simultaneously as the vigilance and combat performance do not decrease. Direct improvements of the cognitive performance can be obtained by medical substances, mental training and computerized support that supports the soldier in solving the cognitive tasks, like threat detection and identification during an operation. Indirect improvements to the cognitive performance by decreasing the mental stress is about improvements to command and control, situation awareness, communications, system and robotic interaction, sensors for example integrated into the uniform and endurance. Decreased psychological stress provides the opportunity for the soldier to improve the cognitive performance. Augmenting the human body through exoskeletons has long been a dream for many. Recent technology, however, has made it possible to do this using powerful actuators and the military applications are many. Using a powered exoskeleton, soldiers could walk longer with heavier equipment, weapons and protection. The prototypes of powerful powered exoskeletons that has been developed so far, however, lack the ability to follow the pilot without hindering movement, thereby increasing metabolic cost. Therefore, no such exoskeletons are still under open development for military applications. Instead, smaller, lightweight solutions that e.g. gives a push at each step during walking are under development with the idea that a few percent difference in lowered metabolic cost may give a soldier the edge in a battle fought after a long march. It is, however, unlikely that these systems will significantly increase the load bearing capability of the future soldier. This report presents an overview of a number of perspectives for increasing the cognitive performance of the future soldier and a summary of the development of exoskeletons.