U.S. Air Force developing new advanced medical technology

The U.S. Air Force is developing technology that will allow medical personnel to treat multiple patients at once on the battlefield.

The technology, known as Battlefield Airmen Trauma Distributed Observation Kit (BATDOK) is part of a larger family of technology known as Battlefield Air Targeting Man-Aided Knowledge (BATMAN). During a treatment, an Air Force pararescue jumper would arrive on location and place digital sensors on wounded areas of his patients, which would feed into a hand-held device like a smart phone to monitor vital signs.

"Currently PJs treat patients one-to-one," said Dr. Gregory Burnett, the program's chief engineer in a statement. "Now we can have one PJ treat and monitor multiple patients simultaneously."

The technology is still in its developmental stages. Currently, engineers with the 711th Human Performance Wing from the Human Effectiveness Directorate at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio are working with pararescue jumpers to make the new devices easier to use. New developments include wrist and chest mounts to improve access. Dr. Burnett adds that the BATDOK can be adjusted for civilian needs as well as military.

"It's getting a lot of attention from the pararescue community," Burnett added. "It's a really effective system, capable of improving patient survivability not just in the Air Force, but the DOD and the civilians that it cares for."

BATDOK is now being tested by the Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Combat Command.