Dr Christopher Williams
Musculoskeletal injuries and associated disease
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Delivering enhanced training platforms for Defence personnel
Provide advanced objective biometrically based assessment methodologies to capture how stress, attention and cognitive load impede decision making ability.
By measuring complex internal states that impact on decision-making and factoring these into training protocols, we reduce the risk of catastrophic decision making errors. This is highly valuable for Defence as service personnel are often placed into operational environments that require flawless performance in complex high threat environments.
Competitive advantage
- We run the largest group in Australia that develops biometrically assisted training packages to enhance control over emotional factors such as stress for individuals operating in high threat situations
- Expertise in training to improve decision making under conditions of high stress and cognitive load leads to better decision makers
- Better decision makers results in better operational outcomes
Successful applications of research
- Defence Innovation Hub (Capability Technology Demonstrator) 2016
- Army Innovation Day (Subcontractor to Zero Latency) 2017
- Defence Innovation Network pilot project funded in 2019
- Request to Submit Unsolicited Tendor by Army headquarters 2019
Partners
- Army
- Army Land Simulation
- Army School of Health
Impact
- The battlefield environment represents the very essence of high threat, high risk, high stress environment
- Decisions with life and death consequences have to be made often with incomplete information. Each of these decisions can be compromised by factors such as stress and attention and alertness.
- Our team specialises in measuring these highly important 'internal states' to develop individual response profiles and implement customised training solutions. This produces more accomplished warfighters
Capabilities and facilities
- Advanced Biometric Monitoring Facilities - Including Remote Monitoring of Critical Physiological Parameters
- Free roam virtual reality (VR) and tethered VR infrastructure
- XR programing and user interface / experience capability
More information
School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy
T: +61 2 4921 5012
E: rohan.walker@newcastle.edu.au
Further reading on: Enhanced Human Performance and Protection
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