The Next Phase of ICARUS ARMOR - Advancing Human Performance Monitoring in Extreme Environments

After months of work, long testing sessions, and a few unexpected turns, We’re excited to share where ICARUS ARMOR is headed next. This project, originally supported by the ESA Spark Funding Program, has been a fascinating deep dive into how we can better understand and support human performance in extreme environments. Now, as we move into the next phase, We’re particularly eager to focus on working closely with local academia to refine and expand our findings.

Lessons from the First Phase

One of the biggest takeaways from this project so far has been finding the right balance between accuracy and usability. Early on, we used a broad set of wearable sensors, including respiratory masks to track oxygen and CO2 exchange. However, after multiple trials and discussions with the people we collaborated with, we discovered that some of these measurements weren’t essential. We could still get highly useful physiological data while making the system far less intrusive for users.

A major win has been keeping the system hardware-agnostic. This flexibility allows it to integrate with different wearables, making it adaptable for a range of users and environments. Working with local university labs has been instrumental in testing this adaptability and refining our approach. Their feedback has helped us ensure that the system is both effective and practical.

What's Next?

The next phase of ICARUS ARMOR will focus on three key areas:

Collaborating with Local Academia to Improve the Digital Twin Model

The digital twin system, which builds a personalized physiological model based on biosignals, has been a cornerstone of this project. We’re eager to work more closely with university researchers to fine-tune these models, ensuring they can be applied in real-time operational settings with greater precision.

Expanding Field Testing with Partnerships

We’ve already worked with firefighter brigades and conducted trials with ESA astronauts. Now, we’re looking to partner with local academic institutions to further validate the system. Working directly with university researchers and students will provide fresh insights.

Advancing Real-Time Monitoring and Alerting

One of our goals is to enhance the software’s practical applications. The system already tracks physiological states, but we want to refine the alert mechanisms and intervention strategies based on academic research. This will ensure that ICARUS ARMOR doesn’t just analyze data but actively helps individuals make safer decisions in high-stress situations.

A Vision for the Future

Ultimately, our goal is to make ICARUS ARMOR an intuitive, easy-to-use system that supports people in extreme conditions. We believe the only way to do this is by working closely with real users. We hope to refine the technology and bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

There’s still a lot of work ahead, but we’re excited about the direction we’re taking!