[3] Major programs of interdisciplinary collaborations between the academic, private, and governmental sectors began at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) in the 1990s.
The limited conditions in a laboratory setting could not integrate the spans of physical and socio-cultural factors found in real world environments.
There were not enough software or mathematical models devoted to reporting variations in environment, behavior, and function in real time.
CaN established the need for a new experimental environment where multisensory analysis can occur and wearable sensors that monitor brain and body dynamics.
Additionally, it called for data sets and development of methods to allow for more in-depth characterization of behavior and variation in cognitive ability, performance, and personality.