Supporting the Army Combat Fitness Test with human avatars

BY: WILL FINEMAN IOWA TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE

“We have this incredible, unique situation here that does not exist anywhere else in the U.S.”

KARIM MALEK

TOP LEFT: Kaylee Lichtenstein (22BSE) demonstrates the leg tuck drill while wearing a motion capture suit for members of the Iowa House of Representatives. TOP RIGHT: University of Iowa undergraduate Trejahn Manning, of Des Moines, Iowa, prepares for a deadlift, which is one of the six drills of the Army Combat Fitness Test. BOTTOM: Rajan Bhatt, an associate research engineer, discusses the work the Iowa Technology Institute performed in support of the rollout of the U.S. Army’s first new fitness testing regimen in more than 40 years.

Iowa Technology Institute research contributes to readiness of U.S. Army soldiers

THE University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) and its Virtual Soldier Research (VSR) program are helping the U.S. Army evaluate its first new physical fitness test in 40 years in hopes of improving soldier readiness. The Army turned to ITI and its internationally recognized Santos, a physics-based virtual human avatar, to evaluate the science behind the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) and how well drills correlate with tasks soldiers face in the field. “They wanted an entity to make sure that the science behind how they chose the events is correct, and they selected the University of Iowa,” Karim Malek, ITI director and professor of biomedical engineering, told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “Why? Because of the Santos program,” Malek continued. “Because of the link to athletics and the College of Medicine. We have this incredible, unique situation here that does not exist anywhere else in the U.S.” ITI’s research on the ACFT has been highlighted in numerous publications in the state of Iowa and across the country, including Bloomberg Businessweek, The Gazette, The Washington Post, Stars and Stripes, KCRGTV, KCCI-TV, Corridor Business Journal, Iowa Magazine, and several others. In addition, state and federal lawmakers and dignitaries from the Iowa National Guard have visited ITI labs to learn more about the research.

Santos and female counterpart Sophia were invented by a team at the University of Iowa, led by Malek. The biomechanically accurate, high-fidelity digital human models allow the testing of human capabilities and behavior under various scenarios.

The traditional test, the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), included timed pushups, sit-ups, and a 2-mile run with different baselines based on gender.

The ACFT is gender and age neutral and is comprised of six exercises — deadlift, leg tuck, sprint-drag-carry, two-mile run, standing power throw, and hand-release push-ups. Soldiers can opt to do a plank instead of the leg tuck.

These six exercises predict whether a soldier has the strength requirements needed to perform duties in a combat environment, such as lifting an injured soldier to safety, moving heavy supplies, or scaling barriers.

Phase one of ITI’s independent review included an assessment of the Baseline Soldier Physical Readiness Requirements Study (BSPRRS), which is the Army’s central research behind the design of the ACFT. The ITI review concluded that the BSPRRS was conducted by a qualified team and the methodologies utilized were rigorous and appropriate.

In phase two, ITI researchers collected data from Iowa Army ROTC cadets performing simulated common soldier tasks and the ACFT exercises. Data from these tests was input into Santos to determine if successful completion of ACFT events matched the strength required to perform combat duties.

ITI’s review is currently in phase three, where researchers are evaluating the cumulative effects of repetition of activities, considering muscle strength, fatigue, and energy expenditure.