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An increasing proportion of occupational mishaps in dynamic, high-risk operational environments have been attributed to human error, yet there are currently no devices to routinely provide accurate physiological data for insights into underlying contributing factors. This is most commonly due to limitations of commercial and clinical devices for collecting physiological data in environments of high motion. Herein, a novel Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor device was tested, called SPYDR (Standalone Performance Yielding Deliberate Risk), reading from a behind-the-ear location, specifically designed for high-fidelity data collection in highly dynamic high-motion, high-pressure, low-oxygen, and high-G-force environments. For this study, SPYDR was installed as a functional ear-cup replacement in flight helmets worn by rated US Navy aircrew. Subjects were exposed to reduced atmospheric pressure using a hypobaric chamber to simulated altitudes of 25,000 feet and high G-forces in a human-rated centrifuge up to 9 G acceleration. Data were compared to control devices, finger and forehead PPG sensors, and a chest-mounted 12-lead ECG. SPYDR produced high-fidelity data compared to controls with little motion-artifact controls in the no-motion environment of the hypobaric chamber. However, in the high-motion, high-force environment of the centrifuge, SPYDR recorded consistent, accurate data, whereas PPG controls and ECG data were unusable due to a high-degree-motion artifacts. The data demonstrate that SPYDR provides an accurate and reliable system for continuous physiological monitoring in high-motion, high-risk environments, yielding a novel method for collecting low-artifact cardiovascular assessment data important for investigating currently inaccessible parameters of human physiology.

Since 2015, the Navy acquisition community has undergone significant changes to oversight policies and contracting methods for husbanding services. The changes were imposed because of one of the largest corruption scandals in U.S. Navy history. The rapid effects of these changes have not been thoroughly analyzed. In this thesis, there is data from the last 5 years totaling over 6,000 husbanding service contracts and port visits. The authors analyzed this data to determine if the current process is having an adverse financial impact, including the financial impact of short-notice port visits, contractor competition, and the length of solicitation. They used a cross-tabulation methodology to determine if short-notice port visits’ request submissions have a financial impact on the cost of husbanding services. The authors also used cross-tabulation to determine if the length of solicitation time makes a difference in the daily average cost. They used cost indexing to quantifiably determine if contractor competition affected the price of husbanding contracts. After a thorough quantitative analysis, the authors determined that the current oversight policies and contracting methods do not have an adverse financial impact on the husbanding service process. Navy leadership must continue refining procedures to reduce processing time while increasing audit compliance. Outstanding Thesis Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.