aquaLink

Navy divers perform challenging tasks under difficult conditions that have long-lasting health impacts.

How might we protect both the short- and long-term physical health of our nation’s divers?

aquaLink is a system of wearable devices that records data critical to diver health and safety,

and makes it actionable through real-time alerts and post-dive analytics. TEAM

Dave Ahern: International Policy/Defense AcquisitionHong En Chew: Hardware EngineeringRachel Olney: Product DesignSamir Patel: Mechatronics/Finance

SPONSOR

Jordan Spector & U.S. Navy Special Warfare Group 3U.S. Special Operations Commandaqua

Link This Week Previously Total

Users 5 17 22

Buyers 1 2 3

Experts 4 12 16

Interview Breakdown

Beneficiaries by Time

Time

ResearcherMedical OfficerOperators

Customer Archetype: SEALMale, age 21-32

Competitive, driven, physically fit, mentally resilient

Volunteers to join the Navy; spends 2-4 years training

Volunteers to become a Navy SEAL; spends 1.5-2 years training

Volunteers to join SDV; spends an additional 3-6 months training

Driven by problem solving and technical mastery

Not naturally focused on the long-term health impacts

Highly specialized; constant pursuit of optimization

Friction: time spent lost, short-term/acute health problems

Customer Archetype: Medical Officer

Male, age 25-32

Significant exposure to SDV operations and conditions, but not an actual end-user

Respond/react to acute health problems

Limited ability to prevent issues based on access to data

Customer Archetype: Researchers

PhDs across the board

Medical counterpart of SEALs

Cares about the operators they are helping

Explores uncharted territory

Wants to try new technology

Wields unique influence due to IRBs

Friction: Access to divers and adequate equipment

Gaps

Vital Sense pill

? ?

Navy Rebreather Navy Dive Computer

Need AirVitals

SensingVitals

Monitoring

DecompMgmt Geo-

Location

Pivot or Proceed?Geolocation Vitals Monitoring

Type of Need This is the most immediate and active need the most often mentioned pain point.

This is a latent need that the divers are unaware of; and a passive need of the Medical Dive Officers; and an active need of Researchers

Beneficiary Divers, Dive Officers Researchers, Dive Officers, Divers, Dep of Navy, VA

Realistic Goal A work around that will function within specific limitations

A working minimal viable product that ruggedization of off the shelf products and aggregation of sensors

Mission Achievement

Wholesale adoption within SDV, employment throughout broader NSW community; limited commercial opportunities for recreational divers

Adoption within SDV, application throughout NSW, DoD SOF elements, limited application within commercial dive sectors, athletes, etc

MVP Vitals

MVP Vitals

Courtesy of Cornell University

MVP Geo

Buoy is deployed when a new location fix is needed

Map updates each time buoy is deployed

Who: ResearchersHow: IRB gives them mandate + funds, we just need to show a proof-of-concept device that collects the data they wantWho: Medical Dive OfficersHow: Need mandate from CO, need actionable info from researchers

Fewer dive injuries in return for integrating a wear-and-forget device into diving SOP that collects vitals data for diver health personnel

Provides a reliable method of collecting vitals data for diver health research, this is currently unachievable using COTS devices

Presents data in a format easy to use by diver health personnel in all institutions

Mission Model Canvas (Vitals)KEY PARTNERS KEY ACTIVITIES

KEY RESOURCES

VALUE PROPOSITION BUY-IN / SUPPORT BENEFICIARIES

MISSION BUDGET MISSION ACHIEVEMENT FACTORS

Problem sponsors: Navy Special Warfare Group 3 (NSWG-3), U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)

Military diver-related research organizations: Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), SOCOM Human Performance Resource Center, Naval Underwater Medical Institute (NUMI)

- Fundamental cycle: hypotheses -> MVP (rapid prototyping of hardware/ software) -> stakeholder interviews to evaluate MVP -> pivot and repeat-Timeseries of vitals-Easily-transferrable data-Easily-manipulated data-Long battery life

- User expertise: military divers ,scientific divers

- Medical expertise: med sch, SOCOM HPRC, NEDU

- Hardware/software prototyping costs (RDT&E from NEDU or SOCOM)- Purchase of existing products on the market for evaluation (NSWG-3 or

NAVSOC N-8)- Potential Funding for manufacturing/technical advice from Jabil- Potential Funding for supply chain (PCBs, IC’s, assorted electrical components)

Feasibility: At the end of the quarter, NSWG3/SOCOM decide that our proposal merits further development and initiates their internal processes for funding/pilot testing/field deployment

Research case:Use IRB funds to develop prototypes for testing with SDVT-1Regular use case:NEDU validates prototype, Master Diver recommends device to CO who authorizes purchase, NSWG-3 N8 is the purchaser

DIVER HEALTH PERSONNEL

Researchers:Karen Kelly, NHRCJohn Florian, NEDU

Medical Dive Officers???

OPERATORS

End Users:LT Scott Terry, SDVT-1Other SEALs

Influencers:LT Jordan Spector, SDVT-1Master Diver, SDVT-1 = ???

Decision Makers:CO, SDVT-1 = ???

Purchaser:SDVT-1 CSO, NSWG-3 N8 = ???

Who: Master DiverHow: Demo proof-of-concept device and NEDU validation resultsWho: CO How: Receive strong recommendation from Master Diver

DEPLOYMENT

Mission Model Canvas (Geo)

Who: SDV/SEAL DiversHow: Master Diver approves usage

Who: Submarine CrewHow: Unknown entity approves for usage on submarine

KEY PARTNERS KEY ACTIVITIES

KEY RESOURCES

VALUE PROPOSITION BUY-IN / SUPPORT

DEPLOYMENT

BENEFICIARIES

MISSION BUDGET MISSION ACHIEVEMENT FACTORS

- Problem sponsors: Navy Special Warfare Group 3 (NSWG-3), U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)- Military diver-related research organizations: Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU), SOCOM Human Performance Resource Center, Naval Underwater Medical Institute (NUMI)- Commercial partners: mil-spec dive equipment manufacturers

- Fundamental cycle: hypotheses -> MVP (rapid prototyping of hardware/ software) -> stakeholder interviews to evaluate MVP -> pivot and repeat

- Defence procurement expertise: course staff, sponsors, DIUX, liaisons- User expertise: military divers, scientific divers

- Hardware/software prototyping costs (RDT&E from NEDU or SOCOM)- Purchase of existing products on the market for evaluation (NSWG3 or

NAVSOC N-8).

1. Feasibility: At the end of the quarter, NSWG3/SOCOM decide that our proposal merits further development and initiates their internal processes for funding/pilot testing/field deployment

2. Performance: Our prototype should demonstrate that all critical features can be integrated within given size/weight/cost specs

3. User satisfaction: Seamless integration into current SOP, increased situational awareness

Operator UsageHow: NEDU validates prototype, Master Diver gives approval, SDVT-1 CSO is the recommender to NSWG-3 N8 who is the purchaser

Submarine UsageHow: TBD

End Users (Divers):LT Scott Terry, SDVT-1Other SEALs

InfluencersLT Jordan Spector, SDVT-1Master Diver, SDVT-1

End Users (Submarine Crew):???

Provide more accurate location to increase likelihood of mission success

Provide information on teammates’ locations to prevent ‘diver missing’ situations

AquaLink Value Proposition SDVT-1 Diver

-Long-term health repository might make dives safer and increase performance-Potential for real-time safety feedback

- Synchronize oxygen system and vital monitoring through wireless connection system- They are no longer operating in the ‘dark’-Small form factor: doesn’t add weight or space-Put-and-forget: no involvement from the diver

AquaLink Integrated Sensor

Platform Size, Safety, and Data

-Extremely proficient and adaptive divers-Access to world class medical professionals and performance coaches-Relatively agile procurement/acquisition process

- No singular interface for all Dive information-No ability to monitor vitals in real time-No ability to maintain flexible communication between divers-No overall locational situational awareness-Too many pieces of equipment

Conduct underwater

operations for the U.S. Military

Value Proposition Canvas

AquaLink Value Proposition Medical Dive Officers and Researchers

-Develop tailored platform to sync individual diver data in central repository accessible by medical professionals-Provide Human Performance staff with acute feedback to optimize diver performance

-Ruggedize monitors/sensors to enhance collection capability-Develop data sync function that minimizes operator requirement -Acquire data during dives

AquaLink Integrated Sensor

Platform Data

-Funding and approval flexibility-Scheduled access to divers for testing-Institutional credibility and established pathways for testing, procurement, etc

-Durability of current monitors insufficient to withstand conditions-No central repository for data collected-Don’t know what factors lead to what problems

Collect and Analyze data on Diver

Health

Value Proposition Canvas

Hypotheses Moving Forward

The individual divers should monitor their own vitals during the mission and the leadership trusts them to.

System should deliver real-time value in the form of system checks (oxygen levels, kick count, etc) to generate operator buy-in

A heads up display is the ideal form of information transmission during a dive.

Any system should be modular in nature to allow for the integration of evolving technology (geolocation and communication)

System should pair data transmission with a critical function to force data collection

Questions