The Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing signed an Educational Partnership Agreement with Bowling Green State University’s School of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies due to a mutual interest in the areas of human biomechanics and 3D motion analysis.
An EPA is a type of technology transfer agreement between a federal laboratory and an educational institution that enables the transfer or development of technological resources and applications, such as equipment, facilities and professional expertise.
Under this agreement, AFRL/711 HPW and BGSU, a public university in Ohio, collaboratively developed research projects to be conducted at BGSU. The 711 HPW loaned motion analysis equipment to BGSU, which enabled BGSU students and faculty to conduct research of benefit to both parties.
Sharing technologies and assets with BGSU colleagues offers a unique collaborative opportunity that can lead to new ideas, innovations, and solutions to help solve current Air Force challenges as we help to develop the bright young minds that will become part of tomorrow’s workforce.
Access to collaborative resources allowed researchers to analyze concealed objects of various sizes in the torso and the changes that occurred to the size, shape and motion of an individual. The datasets collected are expected to result in improvements of defense and security processes for the military.
Research efforts were also made in the area of simulated entry control point development for evaluating human deception and its influence on human dynamics when individuals were near a simulated air base, town or other restricted security checkpoint. When illegal objects made it through the checkpoint undetected, individuals received a monetary incentive of $100.
This agreement supports the Air Force goal of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM education.