A U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (CCDC SC) program aims to measure, predict and enhance soldier and squad close-combat performance. Since late 2020, NSRI Fellow Dr. Aaron Likens, assistant professor at the UNO Center for Research in Human Movement Variability, has worked to contribute a “Soldier Readiness Toolkit” to the CCDC SC effort.

The toolkit’s software collects and analyzes data generated by small wearable sensors placed on a soldier’s body and turns that information into critical insights into the soldier’s movement patterns. Dr. Likens’ team developed the software utilizing data collected from the Biomechanics and Engineering Team at DEVCOM SC in Natick, Massachusetts. The data was gathered through several multi-day studies during which soldiers participated in a 72-hour mission and recovery scenario that measured their movements, cardiovascular activity, baseline and recovery strength and biomarkers.

Impact: The UNO team successfully analyzed the test data, calibrated the tool and delivered the toolkit as planned to DEVCOM SC. The team has presented at several academic and industry conferences and September 2024 published “Altered movement dynamics in soldiers undergoing multiple bouts of load carriage” in Applied Ergonomics.

Since 2019, NSRI Fellow Dr. Michelle Black, UNO associate professor of political science, has leveraged NSRI resources to execute development of a multi-actor deterrence analysis model (MADAM) for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The model has matured into the establishment of the Nebraska Deterrence Lab at UNO led by Dr. Black. With NSRI Fellow Dr. Deanna House, also of UNO, Dr. Black tested MADAM within the development of a series of NATO wargames on space deterrence this year. The two are part of a 37-person research team formed by NATO to develop and test a comprehensive space deterrence framework. Such a framework would employ a full spectrum of deterrence options and both national and NATO instruments of power.

Impact: The NATO team will analyze wargame results and distribute an executive-level report, and the NATO Science and Technology Board chartered the team to continue through March 2026.