Rheinmetall announced on 14 June 2024 that is has entered into a partnership with Austrian company QUS Body Connected with a view to introducing the tracking of vital biomonitoring data onto its Gladius 2.0 soldier system.
“Live tracking of vital data allows training units to be adjusted during training to ensure optimal fitness development,” Rheinmetall explained in a press release. “During operations, current information on the physical condition of individual soldiers or the entire unit is available, which is important for further tactical decisions. This is particularly crucial for soldiers in current complex operational scenarios under difficult conditions.”
The live tracking of biometric data can also alert those directing a training exercise if there is a medical emergency with one of the trainees.
Rheinmetall noted that QUS, with its established system, already meets many requirements relevant for successful integration into soldier systems, suggesting it can be easily integrated into the Gladius 2.0 system, thus significantly expanding its capabilities.
A consequent joint solution produced by the QUS/Rheinmetall partnership will combine everything related to body data and fully exploit its potential. The ability to combine already-proven sensors (heart rate, respiratory rate, etc) with other external sensors (measuring temperature, etc) will enable a new basis for tactical decisions based on the knowledge of the current condition of deployed soldiers, according to Rheinmetall.
“We are very pleased about the new partnership with Rheinmetall. Together, we will develop a system that seamlessly integrates into Rheinmetall’s battlefield management system, creating additional value in this area,” Hannes Steiner, QUS CEO and founder, was quoted as saying in a Rheinmetall press release. “Knowing and assessing the vital data of soldiers at any time is very important for performance,”
Timo Haas, chief digital officer (CDO) of Rheinmetall and managing director of Rheinmetall electronics, added, “Biomonitoring, as we know it from competitive sports, will also play an important role for soldiers in the future to optimise operational readiness. For us as a system provider, QUS’s solution offers an additional component in our modular soldier system. And with a view to digitisation, AI-supported data can make an important contribution to tactical decisions at higher command levels.”
