Hazards and Failure Analysis

The hazards associated with this product can be split into two different categories:

1. Hazards to the user (Soldier)
   • If the system fails to identify armed occupants in a building, soldiers may be caught off-guard
   • This may be caused by hardware/software failure, or even unforeseen circumstances not factored into the design
   • Proper training would help to prevent soldiers from becoming too reliant on the technology
   • Hazard Severity: Level 4: Minor Injuries
2. Hazards to the military itself in maintaining our technological advantage
   • If the system falls into the hands of the enemy, it can be reverse engineered and potentially used against us
   • Hazard Severity: Level 4

Neither of these types of failures would pose a direct danger to the user, in the same way that the failure of a soldier's radio-communications device would not directly endanger him. However, these failures could potentially put the soldier in a worse position than if he never had access to this technology. The following hazard mitigation techniques can be used to decrease the possibility of this occurring:

Hazard Mitigation Techniques

1. Train soldiers to use this tool as an aid, but not something to be relied upon
   • i.e., If the device indicates that armed occupants are in a room, then they must be prepared. The soldier would benefit, as he is given the estimated locations of the armed occupants. However, if the device indicates that there are no armed occupants in the room, do not assume that there cannot be armed occupants within. Proceed with caution as normal.
2. Include a "self-destruct" functionality into the device.
   • If the device recognizes that it has fallen into the wrong hands, then erase all software on the device to prevent reverse-engineering.
   • This type of functionality is currently built into current US Army Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) handheld radios, and can be implemented here in a similar fashion.