Design Interactive, Inc. — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N151-077

Description

Chronic and acute stressors such as those experienced by Warfighters during life threatening situations may degrade performance and lead to long term negative outcomes. Therefore, it is critical to develop tools, for the military and beyond, to address the growing need for stress resilience training. Design Interactive proposes development of the Evaluate, Educate, Exercise Approach to Stress Education (E3ASE), a mental fitness training curriculum and software tool, comprised of mini assessments, lessons and exercises designed to increase an individuals mindfulness and resilience to stress. E3ASE will integrate mindfulness training techniques into training packages with little cost to implement and no instructor technical expertise requirement. The training package will leverage physiological sensors and validated human performance measures to gauge trainee progress and adapt course content to trainee needs. The approach will be easily integrated into current military school houses and designed to empower Warfighters to harness their physiological and psychological stress responses. Such a training curriculum will enable better human performance under stress and reduction in post deployment stress injuries, leading to increased readiness, lives saved and increased health and well-being of Warfighters throughout the deployment cycle.