Transforming Combat Casualty Care
Why Focus on Triage
In a mass casualty event, every minute makes a difference—but today’s triage methods can’t reliably predict who needs life-saving care first. The DARPA Triage Challenge is driving new solutions to close this critical gap and ensure that limited medical resources reach the right patients at the right time.
A primary stage of MCI triage supported by sensors on stand-off platforms, such as uncrewed aircraft vehicles (UAVs) or robots, and algorithms that analyze sensor data in real-time to identify casualties for urgent hands-on evaluation by medical personnel.
A secondary stage, after the most urgent casualties have been treated, supported by non-invasive contact sensors placed on casualties and algorithms that analyze sensor data in real-time to predict need for life-saving interventions.
Timeline
Challenge Event 1 | 2024 |
| Workshops | |
| Data | May |
| Systems, Virtual | June |
| Competitions | |
| Systems, Data, Virtual | September |
| Awards | |
| Ceremony | September |
Challenge Event 2 | 2025 |
| Workshops | |
| Systems | March 10 |
| Data | March 17 |
| Competitions | |
| Systems, Data | Sept. 28 |
| Awards | |
| Ceremony | Oct. 4 |
Challenge Event 3 | 2026 |
| Workshops | |
| Systems, Data | Spring |
| Competitions | |
| Systems, Data | Fall |
Competitions
Systems
Brings together teams to develop autonomous systems that can use stand-off sensors to detect signs of life-threatening injuries and help medics quickly identify which casualties need urgent attention. | Learn more
Data
Focuses on developing algorithms that can analyze complex, real-world physiological data to detect early signs of life-threatening injuries during secondary triage. | Learn more
Virtual (Completed 2024)
Challenges teams to use advanced simulation, sensing, and AI tools to triage virtual casualties in mass-casualty scenarios that are difficult to replicate in the real world. | Learn more
Source: DARPA | Paul Flacks
Overview
Time is of the essence to rapidly identify those casualties with critical but survivable injuries in order to deliver maximal lifesaving interventions as quickly as possible.
– Col. Stacy Shackelford, Trauma Medical Director, Joint Trauma System (JTS)
