The U.S. Navy Wants Biosensing Smart Clothing For Its Pilots

The U.S. Navy is looking for new fabrics for pilots' shirts that can be embedded with biosensors to monitor the pilot's physiological health during flight. They also have to be Berry Amendment compliant (at least 50% US-made). And, most important, comfy. https://t.co/zJ9oXxwIaZ pic.twitter.com/QFS5Cqftx1

— Steve Trimble (@TheDEWLine) December 26, 2019

Warzone/The Drive: The Navy Wants Special Fabrics That Can Monitor A Pilot's Health

The "biosensing garments" could help gather information about incidents where aviators suffer hypoxia-like symptoms and about their general wellbeing.

The U.S. Navy is looking into buying specialized fabric to make biosensing suits for its pilots and aircrew, which would be able to collect physiological data, such as heart rates and deepness of breath. This comes as the service, as well as the U.S. Air Force and NASA, continue to conduct research into and search for solutions to the causes of hypoxia-like symptoms that have plagued pilots across various aircraft types in recent years. The new clothing could also collect more general data on the health and wellness of aviators to improve their performance, avoid injuries, and more.

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) released the request for information regarding "physiological monitoring fabrics" for "biosensing garments suitable for Naval aviation" on Dec. 23, 2019. Steve Trimble, Aviation Week's Defense editor and good friend of The War Zone, was among the first notice the contracting announcement, highlighting it in a Tweet on Dec. 26.

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WNU Editor: This is better than having a fit-bit (maybe).