DSIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.
Draper combines navigation and neuromodulation to guide insects The smallest aerial drones mimic insects in many ways, but none can match the efficiency and maneuverability of the dragonfly. Now, engineers at Draper are creating a new kind of hybrid drone by combining miniaturized navigation, synthetic biology and neurotechnology to guide dragonfly insects. The system looks
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy”s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a proof-of-principle photoelectrochemical cell capable of capturing excess photon energy normally lost to generating heat. Using quantum dots (QD) and a process called Multiple Exciton Generation (MEG), the NREL researchers were able to push the peak external quantum efficiency for hydrogen
SpaceX’s upgraded Dragon capsules will not return astronauts to Earth for powered landings as originally envisioned, company boss Elon Musk said Wednesday, a design change that raises questions about the space transport firm’s plans to send commercial landers to the surface of Mars. Musk cited safety concerns for eliminating plans for propulsive Dragon landings in
Chinese scientists have made good use of waste while finding an innovative solution to a technical problem by transforming rusty stainless steel mesh into electrodes with outstanding electrochemical properties that make them ideal for potassium-ion batteries. As reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie , the rust is converted directly into a compact layer with a
The side prepared to fight is the side that wins the battle—and basic science research provides the first step in being prepared. Like all aspects of the military, the research and development sector thrives on a foundation of cause and effect. Applied research questions more easily match this formula because you can make concrete claims
On a cloudy night in the future, special operators are conducting a nighttime raid on an enemy compound. A mission commander aboard an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship sets his sights on a target. Using a high-energy laser, he aims and shoots at an electrical transformer, the engine of a pick-up truck, communication equipment stacked near the
Advanced Vertical Takeoff and Landing was a topic of discussion at the recent American Helicopter Society International”s Annual Forum & Technology Display in Houston, Texas. VTOL refers to an aircraft”s ability to takeoff, hover and land vertically. There are numerous advantages to advancing VTOL capabilities, particularly maneuverability in a combat situation. The special session highlighted
As China and Russia continue to demonstrate rapid progress in development of hypersonic strike weapons, the U.S.’s largest guided-missile company says technology to counter the threat is already achievable but that fielding a system requires sustained funding and a national sense of urgency. “We are at a tipping point in hypersonics. It is the number
The Army Recognition Defense and Security Web TV news channel presents a highlight video of Day 2 at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) 2017, which was held in Tampa, Florida from 15 to 18 May 2017. Highlighted in the video are: RPAMS RP Advanced Strike-X ATV – militarized CAN-AM X3 to provide an
For the past two years a conglomerate of trade associations, industry, government and academia have been collaborating on the world’s first operational 3D printed excavator. That project made a giant leap forward with the recent printing of a prototype that leveraged large-scale additive manufacturing technologies and further explores the feasibility of printing with metal alloys.
The military is beginning to organize around a principle of multi-domain battle — the notion that effects, planning and operations will converge seamlessly among the five domains of warfare: land, sea, air, space and cyber. Rather than thinking about war from a domain-centric perspective, future battles will be fought with a combination of effects. The
AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate junior force researchers resolved an issue of critical importance to military pilots and aircrews—portable, reliable, and robust temporary landing zone lighting. Current portable landing zone lighting systems, used for temporary and semi-permanent airfields, are aging and quickly reaching the end of their functional lifetimes. The need for a quick solution