Soldier systems of the future will provide many new warfighting capabilities including computers built into the soldier-worn equipment. Embedded training--capabilities that are integrated into operational systems to provide or support training--will be one of the new capabilities that use these computers. Embedded training has been identified as a Key Performance Parameter for Ground Soldier Systems (GSS) that must be satisfied before the system can be fielded. GSS designers have many competing design issues, some of which will affect embedded training implementation. For example, long battery life is a critical requirement for GSS that may well come at the expense of computer processing power and graphics capability, both of which are considerations for embedded training. In addition, cost is a very important issue because embedded training systems for individual soldiers would be fielded in large numbers.

Several prototype systems have been developed to research embedded training issues for GSS. One of these systems, called Team Mission Assistant-Tactical/Exercise (TeamMATE), uses a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) as the computing platform. This particular prototype was designed to address a range of embedded training use cases while operating within the power, cost and weight constraints of current soldier systems. The design considered mission planning and rehearsal techniques used by soldiers in the field today, the needs of live training and the need for interoperability with other virtual simulations.

This paper discusses the PDA as an embedded training platform and other dismounted soldier embedded prototypes and their strengths and weaknesses in meeting the GSS requirements. The paper also discusses user evaluations of this technology, implementation lessons learned and projects a way forward for this important technology challenge.