Date: Feb 12, 2016 Source: SBIR.gov (
click here to go to the source)
Since the beginning of aviation, pilots have faced a dangerous enemy from within. Loss of concentration or worse, falling asleep, is life threatening to all involved. In particular, pilots that fly extended missions or at night encounter fatigue from fighting the body's natural clock.
Today, pilot fatigue is being countered by a game-changing software product called the Sleep, Activity, Fatigue, and Task Effectiveness or SAFTE model, a risk management tool that processes data collected by a wrist-worn, watch-sized actigraph called FAST for Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool. SAFTE was based on a patented biomathematical model originally developed by the Army that predicts cognitive performance based on an individual's circadian rhythms and sleep/wake cycles.
With Air Force SBIR funding, the technology was transformed into a product now in use by military and commercial pilots, professional sports teams in all the major leagues, and many other industries where performance and safety are of primary concern.
The SAFTE/FAST technology is an example of the impact of the U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Program, which funds R&D by small businesses/cooperative R&D projects with small businesses and non-profit U.S. research institutions. The Air Force SBIR / STTR program focuses on projects and services with the potential to develop into a product for military or commercial sectors.
From 2000-2013, the Air Force invested nearly $4 billion in these R&D projects. NTI received funding during this period to develop the SAFTE model, which was incorporated with the FAST actigraph developed by Fatigue Science. This is the NTI and Fatigue Science story.
