SEEKSMART LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: X224-OCSO1

Description

Military Working Dogs (MWDs) serve on the battlefield as a force multiplier, by performing various jobs beyond the capabilities of humans. Because of these benefits, the use of dogs in military operations is expected to increase. Like human warfighters, MWDs are exposed to harsh environments and battlefield hazards. MWDs are trained to sit or down once they find an explosive, and this requires handlers to always have their MWD in their direct line of sight as they work. This places MWD handlers in direct proximity to the threat. Secondly, heat stroke was the most common cause of death from non-battle injury in the Middle East and MWDs become more prone to heat injuries after experiencing their first one. The current means of taking a temperature is with a rectal thermometer. This impedes the mission, may trigger aggression in the MWD, and offers no forewarning that an MWD is overheating. We seek to develop a durable, lightweight device, that attaches to the MWD’s harness, equipped with sensors remaining fixed on the MWD, allowing handlers to receive precise, real-time updates of the MWD’s current temperature along with their active position all transmitted to a wearable wrist device worn by the handler.