New technologies in FY 2021 NDAA will serve as force multipliers, improving warfighter health while minimizing costs

MENLO PARK, Calif. (January 1, 2021) – Today, the U.S. Congress voted to override the veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 thereby enacting it into law. This annual legislation is critical to the overarching goal of creating a 21st-century fighting force by authorizing key initiatives that continue to keep the U.S. military on the cutting edge of technological and scientific advancement.

An essential section of the NDAA is a requirement for “the Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the military service secretaries, to submit a report…assessing how force plate technology and machine learning could be leveraged to improve the medical readiness of individual servicemembers.” As the industry leader in Force Plate Machine Learning technology, Sparta Science will be corresponding with the Department of Defense to contribute to the findings of this report. We believe this technology can be a force multiplier for improving warfighters’ health and welfare while also decreasing military attrition.

“In recent years, the U.S. military has signaled increasing interest in machine learning-based approaches to improving warfighters’ health and military life cycle,” said Sparta Science Founder & CEO Phillip Wagner, MD. “The language enshrined in the FY 2021 NDAA represents a concrete step forward that we forecast will lead to further investment in programs and technologies that improve readiness, reduce injuries, and decrease costs. Sparta Science looks forward to meeting with the Department of Defense as they complete this study to inform them of our success stories.”

“We are grateful to members of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee who recognize the importance of Force Plate Machine Learning. They led the push to secure language in the FY 2021 NDAA report requiring the Department of Defense to report back on the positive impact this technology can have on military service members.”

Sparta Science’s mission is to deploy data-driven approaches in finding solutions for our military partners. Sparta Science looks forward to working together with the DoD to advance the health of our nation’s warfighters through innovative solutions.