The U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the Air Force Readiness Management Agency will explore commercially provided data integration services, proximity tracing capabilities, and biometric wearable devices to alert personnel of possible disease outbreaks early.
According to a recent request for information (RFI), these capabilities would support the USAF’s Pandemic Case Management Suite identified as an operational requirement to support the fight against COVID-19 and future diseases.
Specifically, the government seeks commercial wearable technology that provides insight into biometric data identifying potential infections early and alert the user through a user dashboard with warnings and shall not perform any location tracking or collect or store personally identifiable information (PII).
“The wearable technology needs to have an ability to integrate into a third-party dashboard,” stated the RFI.
Additionally, the USAF is seeking information on the commercial availability of data integration services which requires the integration of dozens of commercial data streams. Interested organizations must have ample security capabilities to protect user data and PII. The USAF is also seeking information on proximity tracing capabilities, which will need to be user-friendly, integrate into a third-party dashboard, utilize commercial networks, and ample security to protect any PII.
“Any proximity tracing capability shall not have a location tracking capability,” said the RFI.
The Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has previously experimented with such technology and seen promising results. DIU Director Michael Brown said in March that DIU had been able to use artificial intelligence and the biometric data from wearables to detect COVID-19 in a sample group about two days before symptoms showed.
Moreover, any interested organization should have an active, pending, or comply with and obtain a cybersecurity authorization.
The RFI specifies that interested parties must provide a list of commercial technologies actively utilized against pandemic viruses and other diseases. All responses are due September 14.
