TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01operations, support and services, and personnel and equipment. Keeping pace with S&Tdevelopments is a professional responsibility and an institutional imperative.Technological savvy is a desirable attribute for future recruiting and a necessary skill whentraining, developing, and evaluating the leadership of the future Modular Force. The Army mustbe willing and able to embrace emerging technologies to provide a tactical or operational edge,and accept the risk that some technologies may not work as expected. Future recruits will havegrown up in a different world from their Army leadership. They will be comfortable withtechnology, adapt quickly, and be eager to try the latest innovations. Adapting to the skills andmotivations of the Nation’s youth while retaining the core values that define the AmericanSoldier and the U.S. Army will pay great dividends.8-2. Science and Technology (S&T) TrendsToday’s emerging technologies fallroughly into four major categories:biological systems, machines andcomputers, information, knowledge,communications, and energy. Integrationof multidisciplinary technologies (smartmaterials, agile manufacturing,nanotechnology, biotechnology) across alldimensions will offer a synergisticadvancement of technological capabilities.How these new capabilities influence thehuman dimension of the future ModularForce is of vital interest for the Army toexplore.Biological SystemsBiological systems and processes used in many areas inspire sensors to affect manufacturing,self-modify diseases, as well as genetically modify crops, people, and animals. By 2015, thebiotechnology revolution will be in full swing with major achievements in combating disease,increasing food production, reducing pollution, and enhancing the quality of life. 173 Examples offuture biological enhancements include bioengineering of small intestine sub mucosa (pigintestines) to heal wounds in humans and the use of robotic devices to retrain muscles. Biotechwill allow improved organ and implant efficiency of eyes, ears, and internal organs that willallow quality and duration of life improvements. However, the same applications that mitigatedisease, malnutrition, pollution, and crime can be readily adapted to create potent, new weapons.Machines and ComputersTrends in machines and computers included robotic miniaturization, quantum computing,human-machine interfaces, and new materials. These include new breakthroughs in sensors,computer processing, and miniaturization on the molecular level. Nanotechnology will lead to172