24.10.19
£1m investment into Armed Forces welfare and training
Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), the Ministery of Defence’s (MoD) innovation hub, to invest £1m in a boost for service personnel’s welfare and training.
DASA will fund nearly £1m for Armed Forces trial of cutting-edge artificial intelligence, psychological and neuroscience tools and technology to further develop the training, wellbeing and mental health support offered to service personnel.
DASA is dedicated to finding and funding exploitable technology for Armed Forces and UK security.
Minister for Defence People and Veterans Johnny Mercer said:
“We welcome this £1m investment from DASA aimed at improving the welfare of Armed Forces personnel.”
“Our Armed Forces serve this country to an exceptional standard and help to keep us safe, so it’s only right that they receive the best possible training and support.”
The funding makes up part of the second phase of DASA’s Defence People Innovation Challenge, funded by the Defence Innovation Fund, managed by the MOD’s Defence Innovation Unit, sponsored by MOD’s Chief of Defence People.
Winning projects include the trailing of measuring cognitive loading with Air Traffic Control, foreign language training courses, endurance training trials and the pilot of a virtual life coach to help with personal, employment and career issues, aimed at motivating and supporting RAF personnel.
The first phase of this scheme in 2018 provided nearly £1.5m of innovation contracts given to nine suppliers to help develop their ideas.
Dr Adam Staines, DASA Competition lead, said:
“DASA is working with businesses of all shapes and sizes and academia to find and fund the latest innovations to benefit UK defence and security.”
“Building on the successful first phase of this competition we are continuing to mesh cognitive science, artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest technologies to develop tools to support MOD personnel across their working lives.”