DSIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.
Electrical engineers at Duke University have invented an inexpensive printed sensor that can monitor the tread of car tires in real time, warning drivers when the rubber meeting the road has grown dangerously thin. If adopted, the device will increase safety, improve vehicle performance and reduce fuel consumption. The group hopes that the tire wear
As virtual reality technology becomes less expensive and delivers a more realistic, immersive experience, some national security experts warn that it is only a matter of time before terrorists use it for recruiting, training and plotting attacks. The virtual reality (VR) marketplace is exploding. Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation VR, Google Cardboard, Microsoft HoloLens,
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Nanjing University have developed an “ultra-thin” sound diffuser that is 10 times thinner than the widely used diffusers found in recording studios, concert venues and movie theaters to reduce echoes and improve the quality of sound. The new design uses less material, which would reduce cost, as well
Using biofuels to help power jet engines reduces particle emissions in their exhaust by as much as 50 to 70 percent, in a new study conclusion that bodes well for airline economics and Earth’s environment. The findings are the result of a cooperative international research program led by NASA and involving agencies from Germany and
The Cranfield University Center for Aeronautics, with partners Airbus Helicopters UK, BHR Group and Helitune, aims to revolutionize health monitoring for rotorcraft by investigating the aeroelastic behavior of rotor blades and developing state-of-the-art fiber optic sensors. The project has approximately 2.6 million dollars in funding and is scheduled to be completed around July 2018. Current
Recently, a novel coating developed by researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for the exterior topsides of Navy surface ships went beyond small area testing to covering the entire freeboard of an amphibious assault ship. Until April of 2017, NRL’s single-component (1K) polysiloxane coating had only been tested on 400-800 sq.ft. areas of
Researchers are looking to insects – specifically cicadas – for insight into the design of artificial surfaces with de-icing, self-cleaning and anti-fogging abilities. Their wings allow cicadas to fly, of course, but they also are good at repelling water – a condition that humans can appreciate, too. “Our work with cicadas is letting us explore
The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) on Tuesday proposed a new national policy that, among other things, would mandate that connected vehicle technology (V2V) be included in all new light-weight vehicles that are manufactured, establish standards for vehicle-to-vehicle messages and transmissions, and mandate that data be made available to the federal government. The agency
New materials have been developed by scientists in the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) at Swansea University which are nontoxic, economical and show promise to replace more expensive and hazardous materials used for waterproofing and antifouling/fogging. The new class of nanomaterials with tunable wettability have important applications ranging from antifouling to water proofing surfaces. Materials
Everything you always wanted in a buoy…and less. The Navy is utilizing additive manufacturing technology to adapt emerging designs in transducer and battery technologies into miniaturized sonobuoy components. Using FDM and SLS technologies, these components will leverage fabrication advantages of high-performance additive manufacturing (AM) processes and materials. The ability to construct minibuoy containers aboard ships
A team of chemists in Canada has developed a way to process metals without using toxic solvents and reagents. The system, which also consumes far less energy than conventional techniques, could greatly shrink the environmental impact of producing metals from raw materials or from post-consumer electronics. “At a time when natural deposits of metals are
CINCU, Romania — Some major improvements are underway at the Joint National Training Center in Romania that are designed to ultimately strengthen capability across NATO forces, and it”s being made possible largely by U.S. funding through the European Reassurance Initiative. Roughly $23 million in funding — provided through the account designed to bolster initiatives to