Military sources said the Army has approved a plan to develop sensors
that could tell commanders the physical state of their soldiers before major
operations. They said the sensors would be strapped to the wrist of the
soldier and linked to a database.
"The sensor would be crucial in operational planning as well as allowing
commanders to understand how much they could push their men," a military
source said.
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The sources said the plan was drafted in cooperation with the military's
Medical Corps. The corps drafted a study that reviewed available technology
and requirements for a personal sensor.
Under the requirements, the sensor would be small enough to enable the
soldier to fight without interference. The sensor would be able to warn of
exhaustion and dehydration, particularly during exercises.
"A commander can know how much fuel and ammunition is left in a tank,"
an officer in the Medical Corps told the Jerusalem Post. "We want to enable
infantry commanders to know basically the same about their soldiers."
The sensor, if proven successful, could be marketed to other militaries,
including those of NATO. The Israeli military has briefed the U.S. Army on a
range of proposals for joint projects, including the use of freeze-dried blood
for battlefield transfusions. The technology has been developed by Israel's
Core Dynamics, but was not approved for the military budget.