AI mosquito traps take top honors at Eighth Army’s Pacific Victors Innovation Challenge

Soldiers are driving the future of Army modernization, and the Pacific Victors Innovation Challenge at Eighth Army headquarters is proof that the best solutions often come from those closest to the mission.

During the fiscal year 2026 event April 21 at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, eight of nine contestants briefed their proposals to a judging panel. Each concept reflected the creativity, adaptability and mission-focused mindset fueling the Army’s modernization efforts. The most promising ideas will be considered for funding, further development and real-world implementation to strengthen readiness and effectiveness across the force.

First place: AI mosquito traps to fight malaria threat

Major Michael Dunbar, commander of the 5th Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine), took first place with a proposal to use offline-capable artificial intelligence mosquito traps to rapidly and accurately inform commanders of risks to mission and forces from disease and non-battle injuries, specifically malaria in Korea. Dunbar’s idea was inspired by a real-world event in 2025, when a unit in South Korea withdrew from an exercise after several Soldiers contracted malaria.

“Malaria can be easily prevented, but units and commanders must know whether the threat is present in order to take appropriate actions,” Dunbar said. “The threat to combat power from malaria will only increase within a large-scale combat operations environment, as Soldiers in austere living conditions would be exposed at a higher rate.”

The technology combines traditional mosquito traps with a camera and an AI program trained by entomologists to identify local mosquito species with greater than 90% accuracy. As the trap captures a bug, the camera records it and the AI provides a species identification within 90 seconds—a process that traditionally takes one to two weeks.

Recognition from the Innovation Challenge is expected to provide momentum to build and deploy these systems before a transition to hostilities or the next large-scale exercise, directly preserving combat power for commanders, according to Dunbar.

“Force Health Protection takes a proactive approach to mitigating problems, and greater visibility will help keep the momentum to build systems that act as force multipliers and sustain the warfighter,” Dunbar said.

Dunbar holds a Master of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a Ph.D. in Entomology, focusing on insect resistance management. He credited his team for the achievement.

“This is an incredible opportunity and a huge team effort,” Dunbar said. “I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Team members include:

• Dr. Craig Stoops, Entomology, Department of Public Health, Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital
• Lt. Col. Aerijuva Aumiller, Deputy Chief, Department of Public Health, Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital
• Lee Sun Young, Public Health Data Analyst, APHN, Defense Health Agency
• Lt. Col. Stephen Lewandowski, Force Health Protection, 65th Medical Brigade Clinical Operations
• Lt. Col. Ehren Linderman, Force Health Protection, Eighth Army Surgeon Directorate
• Capt. Jan Lazny, commander, 154th Medical Detachment (Preventive Medicine)

Second place: Low-cost fixed-wing ISR platform

Sergeant Seth Steel, 11th Engineer Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US Combined Division, earned second place with a pitch for a low-cost, fixed-wing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform in support of engineering missions. With the increasing need for ISR support to give commanders situational awareness, Steele proposed developing home-grown drones that can be developed in 2nd Infantry Division’sWarrior Works innovation lab, which would fill the need for organic fixed-wing ISR at the platoon and company levels.

Steele was awarded an Army Commendation Medal and a monetary award.

Third place: VIPER, a low-cost alternative to MILES gear

Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army Cpl. Yeonwoo Cho, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division/ROK-US Combined Division, took third place with “VIPER,” a low-cost alternative to the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System, or MILES, gear used in training. Cho’s proposed Vision-based Intelligent Precision Engagement Rating consists of both hardware and software that he says would perform better than MILES and would enable: real-time sharing of team tactics using external displays (e.g., smart watch); achieve realistic penetration shots through wall-breaking simulations; maximize immersion through headsets by adding the sound of a bullet whizzing by for missed shots; and enable battlefield replays similar to a flight simulation.

Cho was awarded an Army Commendation Medal and a cash prize.

Driving Army modernization forward

The Pacific Victors Innovation Challenge reflects Eighth Army’s commitment to empowering soldiers to shape the next generation of capabilities by turning ideas into actionable solutions through experimentation, development and implementation. From AI-powered disease prevention to low-cost ISR platforms and training technology, this year’s contestants demonstrated that innovation is alive and well on the Korean Peninsula.

As Eighth Army continues to operate in one of the most dynamic and demanding environments in the world, events like the Pacific Victors Innovation Challenge ensure the force remains agile, forward-thinking and ready for whatever challenges lie ahead.