The Combat-Wireless Health Monitoring System

4 CROSSTALK The Journal of Defense Software Engineering November/December 2009

Soldiers deserve the best medical caretechnology has to offer and should be

the direct beneficiaries of technologicaladvancements in trauma care. Suchadvancements include a comprehensivebattlefield recording medical system,which is known as the MedicalCommunications for Combat CasualtyCare (MC4).

The normal flow of events involvescasualty identification by self-aid, buddyaid, or combat lifesaver. Once the casual-ty is identified, the combat medic providestactical trauma care using appropriatemedical equipment and supplies. In thepast, the combat medic recorded medicalcare given to the casualty on a DD Form1380 (Field Medical Card). In recentyears, however, combat medics have usedthe MC4 system to record medical caregiven. The MC4 system is supported by asuite of applications that are included inthe Defense Health ManagementInformation System line of products. TheMC4 has a store-and-forward capability,sending patient information forward whenconnectivity is available. Once the casualtyis triaged with pertinent patient informa-tion captured on the MC4 system, thecasualty is transported either to a battalionaid station or major treatment facility, asrequired.

As of today, the MC4 system hasrecorded more than 10 million electronicpatient encounters using the MC4 system[1]. This technology, however, does notdynamically track injured soldiers at thepoint of injury. Research is underway todo just that by providing combat medicsa means to remotely monitor casualties.One such technology is the WarfighterPhysiological Status Monitor (WPSM).The WPSM will provide commandersand medics with the ability to activelymonitor vital signs, core temperatures,and skin temperatures. Based uponacoustic measurements, ballistic impactdetection will be monitored by theWPSM [2]. Researchers successfully test-

ed the WPSM during a WMD exercise,remotely measuring vital signs and coretemperatures of test subjects donned inchemical protective suits [3]. Thisresearch did not monitor concussionssustained by casualties.

This article proposes the develop-ment of a new C-WHMS as an alterna-tive to the WPSM. The C-WHMSenhances the diagnostic capabilities of

combat medics. The C-WHMS has yet tobe built, but the reference technology iscurrently available. This article serves as ablueprint for combining technology intoa single system.

Without replacing the assessment ordecision-making responsibilities of unitleadership and medical staff, the role ofthe C-WHMS will allow the combatmedic to perform real-time monitoringof the unit’s medical readiness duringcombat operations, aiding the rapid iden-tification of soldiers who may have sus-tained traumatic injuries. Telemedicine isa component of the C-WHMS, and

allows the combat medic to communicatedirectly with a doctor over a video-con-ferencing system.

The proposed C-WHMS alsoincludes a Military Smart Shirt that mon-itors soldiers’ vital signs as well as pin-points entrance and exit wounds. The C-WHMS allows combat medics to make amore accurate medical assessment of atraumatic injury as well as the level ofshock the soldier may be experiencing.The C-WHMS includes a concussionmonitoring system embedded within theAdvanced Combat Helmet (ACH), whichmeasures concussions sustained duringthe execution of combat operations. Thecomponents of the C-WHMS are dis-cussed in this article, as well as the logicalflow of responses to sensed data by theC-WHMS and the handling of alert mes-sages emanating from the C-WHMS.

Before discussing the C-WHMS, a quickoverview of Bluetooth is in order since it isan essential part of the C-WHMS.

Bluetooth OverviewBluetooth networks (piconet) are gener-ally comprised of seven slave nodes andone Master Node. If the Bluetooth is aClass I device, then the maximum com-munication distance is 100 meters in idealconditions.

Bluetooth versions, prior to BluetoothVersion 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate(EDR), communicate with their MasterNodes through a three-staged process:inquiry procedure, paging procedure, andestablished connection. Previous versionsalso supported the ability to avoid colli-sions with other slave nodes vying for theMaster Node’s attention via a back-offalgorithm. According to researchers, thispeer discovery and connection processled to a latency period not conducive tohealth care. They propose usingBluetooth Version 2.1 + EDR [4].

Researchers also argue that pagingprocedures—the main cause of connec-tion latency—are not needed in Version

The Combat-Wireless Health Monitoring SystemMAJ Phillip G. Burns

U.S. Army

The proposed combat-wireless health monitoring system (C-WHMS) allows for the seamless monitoring of a unit’s medicalhealth during combat operations, facilitating rapid injury identification and treatment. The C-WHMS quickly identifies sol-diers who may have sustained traumatic injuries and whose lives may be saved by attending to them during the so-called “gold-en hour,” as well as provides historical data to improve re-deployment and post-deployment health assessments.

21st Century Defense

“Without replacing theassessment or

decision-makingresponsibilities of unit

leadership and medicalstaff ... the C-WHMS willallow the combat medic

to perform real-timemonitoring of the unit’s

medical readiness duringcombat operations ...”

The Combat-Wireless Health Monitoring System

November/December 2009 www.stsc.hill.af.mil 5

2.1; thus, the previous Bluetooth ver-sions’ three-staged connection procedureis collapsed into two stages: inquiry pro-cedure and data delivery. Version 2.1 pro-vides extended inquiry response, allowing240 bytes of data transferred, along withthe slave node’s inquiry procedure [5].

Through simple secure pairing,researchers indicate that Version 2.1 canuse public and private key pairing. Thisallows limited protection against passiveeavesdropping and man-in-the-middle att-acks [5]. With 79 possible channels and afrequency hopping rate of 1,600 hopsper second, security is enhanced withVersion 2.1.

To validate this level of security, test-ing in an electronic monitoring environ-ment that replicates the battlefield envi-ronment is needed. Various componentsof the C-WHMS are based upon tech-nologies geared to support the civiliansector. Power emissions of the Bluetoothdevice may need to be reduced to presenta smaller footprint and target.

Finally, an election process is neededto elect Master Nodes when the primaryMaster Nodes are not available due topower failure or when out of communi-cation range. In this article, the slavenode is referred to as the Soldier’s LocalServer (SLS). The Master Node, howev-er, retains its designation.

Components of the C-WHMSThe Military Smart ShirtThe Military Smart Shirt concept isbased upon research and development ofa smart shirt prototype by Georgia Techin 1996. Initially funded by the DefenseAdvanced Research Projects Agencythrough the Department of the Navy,the smart shirt uses optical fibers todetect bullet and shrapnel wounds, usingspecial interconnected sensors to moni-tor the body’s vital signs during combatconditions. The smart shirt provides, forthe first time, a systematic and personal-ized way of monitoring soldiers’ vitalsigns—such as heart rate, electrical activ-ity in the heart, body temperature, andpulse oximetry (SpO2)—in an unobtru-sive manner [6]. According to theresearchers:

Just as special-purpose chips andprocessors can be plugged into acomputer motherboard to obtainthe desired information process-ing capability (e.g., high-endgraphics), the chosen mother-board paradigm provides an

extremely versatile framework forthe incorporation of sensing,monitoring, and information pro-cessing devices. [7]

Several versions of the smart shirthave been produced. With each succeed-ing version, the garment has been con-tinually enhanced from all perspectives:functionality, capability, comfort, ease ofuse, and aesthetics. VivoMetrics providesa commercially developed example ofanother approach to monitoring vitalsigns with the LifeShirt [8].

Based upon Georgia Tech’s initialresearch, Figure 1 illustrates a proposedMilitary Smart Shirt, consisting of athree-lead electrocardiogram (EKG)monitoring system, optical fibers, and acontrol box. Since the Military SmartShirt can monitor multiple vital signs, itdoesn’t need to be restricted to taking anEKG. For instance, SpO2 is very usefulfor seeing if there is enough oxygen inthe blood (and going to the brain). Thethree-lead EKG monitoring system peri-odically performs a check of the soldier’svital signs. The control box receives vital

signs from the three-lead EKG monitor-ing system, then forwards sensed data tothe SLS—a wearable watch (as shown inFigure 2).

In addition to the three-lead EKGmonitoring system, the Military SmartShirt consists of optical fibers. Thesefibers are interconnected with sensorsthat gauge whether or not they have beensevered due to a foreign object, register-ing the exact location of an entrance orexit wound. After the penetration of theMilitary Smart Shirt, continuous moni-toring of the soldier’s vital signs isrequired. The control box monitors thesystem health of the shirt and recordsdata from optical fibers and the three-lead EKG monitoring system.

In [9], the authors illustrate how datatransfer paths for the Military Smart Shirtmust be programmed to ensure effectiveintegration and communication betweenthe control box and sensors via opticalfibers. The arrangement of the controlbox is critical in creating an architecturethat is wearable, washable, and flexible,while serving as a motherboard that canfulfill stated requirements. Power consid-

Sensors

61 BPM12:00:42

11/06/09

Three-Lead EKGMonitoringSystem

Control Box

Optical Fiber

Legend

RequiredConnectionsto the EKG

Figure 2: Soldier’s Local Server

Sensors

ControlBox

61 BPM12:00:42

11/06/09

Three-Lead EKGMonitoringSystem

Control Box

Optical Fiber

Legend

RequiredConnectionsto the EKG

Figure 1: Military Smart Shirt



erations are an important consideration aswell. Ongoing missions will require ameans to repower or replace power-depleted Military Smart Shirts.

The ACH Concussion MonitoringSystem The concussion monitoring system is thesecond component of the C-WHMS, asembedded in the ACH. Concussions sus-tained by soldiers are a major concern ofmilitary leadership. The goal is to quicklyand accurately assess cases of suspectedbrain trauma injuries.

Currently, the Military AcuteConcussion Evaluation (MACE) exam isused extensively by military medical per-sonnel to confirm the diagnosis of amild or severe case of brain trauma. As atool, MACE is based upon the soldier’smedical history of previous brain traumainjuries and uses standardized tests togauge the impact of the brain injury onmemory and concentration [10]. MACElacks electronic records of actual braintrauma sustained during combat opera-

tions. The proposed concussion moni-toring system provides an automatedmeans to electronically record brain trau-ma injury, providing real-time notifica-tion to combat medics; it augments—butdoes not replace—MACE.

There are two options for automatingthe means of electronically recordingtraumatic brain injuries. The first optionis based upon Riddell’s product: RiddellRevolution IQ HITS. This system is afootball helmet capable of storing up to100 impacts. This equipment sendsimpact data to wireless monitoring sys-tems located on the sidelines [11].

Figure 3 shows that an ACH can beretrofitted with sensors that serve dualpurposes: as cushions and impact sen-sors. The control box would be locatedbehind the rear stabilizing pad and wouldmonitor data from impact sensors. Assoldiers may potentially drop their ACHwhile not wearing it, false positives canbe reduced by requiring all sensors tohave positive contact with the wearer’shead for the system to function.

If a severe impact is sensed, then thedata is stored in the control box and isforwarded to the SLS. An outtake of thesoldier’s vital signs is taken to determinethe medical status of the soldier andwhether or not the soldier is in the begin-ning stages of shock. The control boxcan store 100 counts of impact thatexceed threshold levels as well as associ-ated vital signs, forwarding data to theSLS if a registered impact exceeds pre-established thresholds.

The second option is the HelmetSensor as tested and fielded by theProject Manager Soldier SurvivabilityTeam at Fort Hood, Texas. Testingdemonstrates that a one-ounce monitorcan track the concussions and overpres-sure that a soldier experiences during ablast event. The sensor system can easilyrecord a month’s worth of data, down-loading data via a USB port to a comput-er [12]. This is the more promising andviable of the two options. Adapting thistechnology to wirelessly forward trau-matic brain injury information to the SLScould prove extremely beneficial.

The SLS The SLS is the third component and is amember node of the Bluetooth network,communicating with its controllingMaster Node. This Master Node com-municates with the combat medic’sdashboard system (CMDS). Communi-cation with the Master Node is not sol-dier-initiated, and is predetermined priorto the start of a mission.

There are many commercially avail-able biometric watches that supportBluetooth technology. Such watcheshave the ability to monitor the wearer’sheart rate. Such technologies demon-strate the feasibility of Bluetooth trans-mission of GPS signals to an array ofdevices, such as PDAs and smartphones, for the purpose of navigation.

In August 2000, a team of IBMresearchers began the task of building awearable server, designed as a watch.They developed a Bluetooth-enabledprototype that runs on Linux and X11[13]. This system has the potential to runthe services required to monitor theMilitary Smart Shirt and the concussionmonitoring system, as it is able to storeand transmit vital signs that cross pre-established thresholds. In addition, it isrecommended to add to the wearableserver the ability to conduct heart ratemonitoring in the event the shirtbecomes inoperable.

The SLS compares received vital signs

Combat Medic

Battalion AidStation

Cloud

Combat HospitalMedical Support

VideoCamera

Medical Dashboard

Server

Firewall

CMDRouter

Figure 4: Combat Medical Dashboard System

Sensors

ControllerBox

Figure 3: ACH Concussion Monitoring System with Sensors



against stored baseline averages. This isimportant because missions differ,requiring soldiers to put forth varyinglevels of physical exertion. Upon conclu-sion of the mission, vital sign values aretransmitted to the medical server locatedat the battalion aid station via the MasterNode and the CMDS. This data is rele-vant for both re-deployment and post-deployment health assessment as the datais included in the soldier’s electronicmedical record (EMR), facilitating com-munication between supporting health-care professionals.

The Master Node The Master Node is the fourth compo-nent, Bluetooth-enabled to the SingleChannel Ground and Airborne RadioSystem (SINCGARS), or a squad radiovariant. This radio is operated by unitleadership. The authors of [14] indicate aneed for the development of a commu-nication link between a PDA and aSINCGARS radio, outlining functionaland nonfunctional requirements toaccomplish this capability [10]. Linkingthe SINCGARS radio with the MasterNode and the CMDS can possibly aug-ment communication distances.

The Master Node is the controllingmember of a seven-member piconet.Since infantry squads are divided intotwo five-man teams, the seven-memberis ideal to support team-level maneuvers,as well as a single High MobilityMultipurpose Wheeled Vehicle crew.This Master Node relays messages fromits piconet to the CMDS; however, com-munication is not initiated by the squadleader. This allows vital medical infor-mation to be forwarded to the combatmedic without impacting the overall mis-sion. This seamless transmission ofmedical data does not exempt leadersfrom their responsibility of checking onthe welfare of their subordinate soldiersas the mission dictates. It does, however,facilitate the rapid identification of sol-diers who may have become casualties,requiring immediate evacuation.

The CMDS The last component, the CMDS, isbased upon the principles of BusinessActivity Monitoring. Figure 4 illustratesthe dashboard as adapted to the combatmedic’s needs. The CMDS provides aniconic view of the unit’s medical readi-ness. The goal is to ultimately interfacethe CMDS with the Army’s MC4.

There are four sets of icons at theheart of this notification; they show:

vital signs, any optical fiber severing,ACH impact counts that exceed pre-established limits, and system diagnos-tics. Each icon has a number in the cen-ter representing the number of alertmessages. As the combat medic receivesan alert message on their CMDS, thecombat medic has the ability to drill-down, reviewing individual alert messages(as needed) by simply double-clickingthe icon.

The combat medic’s prioritization ofmedical needs and medical resources isbased upon a green, amber, and redcolor-coded scheme. A green icon indi-cates normal operation; an amber iconindicates caution; and a red icon schemeindicates a potential emergency situationthat can lead to a loss of limb or life ifleft unchecked. The handling of alertmessages is discussed later in this article.

The proposed CMDS has the capa-bility to communicate with a doctor viavideo-conference. Telemedicine extendsbeyond diagnostic capabilities and toolsalready available to the combat medic.Telemedicine supports the combatmedic as he or she stabilizes a soldierunder the direct supervision of a doctorprior to transport, even though time anddistance limit the doctor’s ability to bephysically present. In these critical cases,the CMDS allows combat medics toconsult directly with a doctor or physi-cian’s assistant via an attached videocamera, showing the extent of injuries.The CMDS supports the storage of the

soldier’s EMR as synchronized with themedical server. This allows doctors toview the same EMR data as the combatmedic has on the CMDS screen.

Telemedicine allows the combatmedic to continue medical support whilein transit to the battalion aid station orcombat hospital. Also, the battalion aidstation is equipped with a variant of theCMDS, allowing consultation over theInternet with other healthcare profes-sionals (as needed). The next sectiondemonstrates the logical flow of the C-WHMS in action, relating the five com-ponents of the C-WHMS.

C-WHMS: How it Works Figure 5 presents a logical flow ofresponses by the sensors to the opera-tional environment, enhancing the med-ical status reporting of units conductingcombat patrols or convoy operations.Figure 5 starts with the SLS. The SLSrepresents the soldier and the soldier’snetwork of sensors, including the ACHconcussion monitoring system andMilitary Smart Shirt. Embedded withinthe squad communication system, aBluetooth-enabled device monitors themedical readiness of the soldier.

If the device detects an abnormalityin sensed data, then that data is routedalong five decision points (DPs). Thefirst decision point, DP1, provides thefirst essential filtering function. DP1 asksif the abnormality of sensed data is vitalsign-related only, related to a concussion

Cloud

Combat Media

Battalion AidStation

Combat HospitalMedical Support

Master Node(next level of

chain ofcommand)

Soldier’s Local Server(Soldier-level)

Medical Server

DP3:Does the

sensed datapresent a significantstatistical deviationfrom the soldier’s

baseline set ofvital signs?

DP4:Is the

registeredconclusion outside

acceptablenorms?

DP5:Did the

Smart Shirt registera locatablepuncture?

Received andMonitor Sensed

Data

DP1:Is the data vitalsign related?

Send operationalstatus of theSmart Shirt

Send messageto Master Node

Yes

NoData flow from

ACH concussionmonitoring system

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Data flow fromSmart Shirt

LegendSymbol Description

Subordinate Node

Radio with BluetoothCapabilities

Master Node

Video Camera

Firewall

Medical Dashboard

Medical Server

CMD Router

DP2:Is sensed data

from Smart Shirtor ACH concussion

monitoringsystem?

Figure 5: Logical Flow of the C-WHMS



sustained by the casualty, or a puncture ofthe Military Smart Shirt, indicating thepotential entrance of a bullet or shrap-nel fragment.

If the answer is yes, then sensed datais routed to DP3, which asks: Does thesensed data represent a statistical devia-tion of the soldier’s baseline of storedvital signs value? If the sensed data isnot a statistical deviation from the norm,then the monitoring system continues itspassive monitoring. If the sensed datapresents a statistical deviation from thenorm, then an alert message is routedfrom the Master Node to the combatmedic.

If the answer to DP1 is no, then DP2is queried: Is the sensed data comingfrom the Military Smart Shirt or theACH concussion monitoring system? Ifthe answer to DP2’s query is related tothe ACH concussion monitoring sys-tem, then DP4 checks to see whether ornot a concussion is registered by the sys-tem. If a concussion is sensed, an alertmessage is sent from the SLS throughthe Master Node to the combat medic.

If the answer to DP2’s query isMilitary Smart Shirt-related, then DP5checks to see if it has registered a locat-able puncture. The exact location of thepuncture is essential. At this point, vitalsigns are measured regularly in order todetermine whether or not the soldier isin shock. As this shock is a significantevent, a high-alert message is immediate-ly forwarded to the combat medic. If theexact location of the puncture cannot bedetermined, a check of the MilitarySmart Shirt’s operational status is per-formed. If it is not functional, the com-bat medic receives a low-level alert mes-sage, and the soldier’s vital signs aremonitored as a precaution. The combatmedic monitors the operational situa-tion, contacting the soldier as the mis-sion dictates.

At the conclusion of the militaryoperation, the Master Node (as directedby the patrol or convoy commander)conducts a network call, retrieving datastored from all members of its piconet.This data is stored in the medical serverand is accessible and used during re-deployment and post-deployment healthassessments.

Handling of Alert MessagesAlert messages are handled in the fol-lowing manner: Icons representing vitalsigns, the severing of optical fibers, andimpact counts display a color code witha number representing the total numberof associated alert messages. Alert mes-

sages are forwarded from the SLSthrough the Master Node to the CMDS.

Red alert messages are forwardedautomatically to the unit’s battalion aidstation or supporting combat hospital.This allows the next level of medicalcare to prepare for a potential influx ofcasualties. Also, the soldier’s EMR is for-warded to the next level of medical care:thorough review of the soldier’s EMR(for allergies to any medications) andmedical history (for mitigation of anypotential complications). Red alert mes-sages are of highest priority. Unit leader-ship is notified immediately of this type

of message because it indicates a highpossibility that a loss of limb or life mayresult if left unchecked.

Alert messages contain sensed dataas well as the GPS location of theinjured soldier. If the sensed data per-tains to the severing of optical fibers,the exact location is sent along with thealert message in order to help the com-bat medic accurately identify entranceand exit wounds (as needed). Vital signsare included in all alert messages as thisallows the combat medic to monitor thesoldier for shock.

Amber-colored alert messages areforwarded to the next level of medicalcare for information purposes only. Thisallows the battalion aid station to trackchanges as they occur, pre-position med-ical supplies as the condition deterio-rates, and brief the battalion comman-der on up-to-the-minute medical readi-ness information. Amber alert messagesare of medium concern, handled locallywhen the mission permits. Green alertmessages are a low priority and handled

locally when the mission permits. Theyare not automatically forwarded to thenext level of medical care unless thecombat medic decides to send the data.

ConclusionThis article shows it is demonstrably feasi-ble to develop the C-WHMS with avail-able wireless technologies. Tailoring suchtechnology to meet the needs of the mili-tary could yield benefits in the arena ofmilitary healthcare and battlefield triage,potentially saving lives. Off-the-shelf soft-ware, specific to the medical community,should be evaluated in greater detail, mod-ifying it as necessary to adapt to militaryuses for medical care.u

AcknowledgementThe author wishes to acknowledge Dr.Sundaresan Jayaraman for his mentorshipand contribution to the Military SmartShirt section. Dr. Jayaraman is a profes-sor at the School of Polymer, Textile andFiber Engineering at Georgia Tech.

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10 Years of Delivering BattlefieldMedical Information to War Fighters:MC4 Announces New Strategic Plan.”MC4. 18 May 2009 <www.mc4.army.mil/pressreleases/090518_MC4_10years_StrategicPlan.asp>.

2. Military Operational Medicine Re-search Program. “WPSM Initial Capa-bility.” 2008 <https://www.momrp.org/pm3.html>.

3. U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center –Natick (MA). “Researchers Test War-fighter Physiological Status Monitor.”27 July 2007 <www.army.mil/-news/2007/07/26/4157-researchers-test-warfighter-physiological-status-monitor>.

4. U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center –Natick (MA). “USARIEM Research-ers Test WPSM Capabilities DuringTraining Exercise.” SSC-Natick PressRelease, Public Affairs Office. 23 July2007 <www.natick.army.mil/about/pao/2007/07-23.htm>.

5. Lee, Seung-Hoon, et al. Bluetooth 2.1-BasedEmergency Data Delivery System in HealthNet.Proc. of the Wireless Communicationsand Networking Conference. Las Vegas:31 Mar.-3 Apr. 2008 <www.cs.ucla.edu/~shlee/papers/eir.ppt>.

6. Park, Sungmee, et. al. “The WearableMotherboard: An Information Infra-structure or Sensate Liner for MedicalApplications.” Studies in Health Technologyand Informatics 62 (1999): 252-258.

7. Gopalsamy, Chandramohan, et al.

“Red alert messagesare forwarded

automatically to theunit’s battalion aid

station or supportingcombat hospital.

This allows the next levelof medical care to

prepare for a potentialinflux in casualties.”



“The Wearable Motherboard: TheFirst Generation of Adaptive andResponsive Textile Structures forMedical Applications.” Journal ofVirtual Reality 14 (1999): 152-168.

8. VivoMetrics. “About LifeShirt.”<www.vivometrics.com/lifeshirt>.

9. Park, Sungmee, Kenneth Mackenzie,and Dr. Sundaresan Jayaraman. TheWearable Motherboard: A Framework forPersonalized Mobile Information Processing.Proc. of the 39th Design AutomationConference. New Orleans: 10-14 June2002.

10. “Military Acute Concussion Evalua-tion Offers Quick Diagnosis AfterHead Injury.” MEDCOM Now 2.2. 1Feb. 2008 <www.amedd.army.mil/med

com/MEDCOM _Now_20080201-vol2-issue2.pdf>.

11. Nilay, Patel. Engadget. “Riddell StartsShipping Concussion-MonitoringFootball Helmets.” 18 Dec. 2007<www.engadget.com/2007/12/18/riddell-starts-shipping-concussion-monitoring-football-helmets>.

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About the Author

MAJ Phillip G. Burnscurrently attends GeorgiaState University as a grad-uate student, pursuing amaster’s degree in com-puter information sys-

tems. He serves as the Graduate BusinessAssociation’s vice president of technolo-gy. In 2007, Burns graduated from theInformation Systems Officer course atthe U.S. Army’s School of Technology atFort Gordon, Georgia.

10810 Glenbarr DRJohns Creek, GA 30097Phone: (678) 548-9927E-mail: phillip.g.burns@

us.army.mil

This article demonstrates to the DoD software community how an emerging field—pervasive healthcare—can be applied to a military setting. A central feature of per-vasive healthcare is ubiquitous computing. Ubiquitous computing is the seamless andunobtrusive integration of information systems into everyday objects. The proposedC-WHMS illustrates this concept—where the return on investment is not so muchmonetary as it is the preservation of human life. Since the C-WHMS is a concept fornow, the ROI is not based upon monetary value.

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The Combat-Wireless Health Monitoring System