Tech Briefs

Evaluation of Environmental Sensors in Training: Performance Outcomes and Symptoms during Airborne and Combatives Training

Investigating the feasibility and potential validity of using biomechanical environmental sensor technologies to improve the detection of potentially concussive events that could lead to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Multimode Optical Fiber Sensing

Although a vast majority of fiber optic strain sensors use single mode fiber, multimode fiber has a higher nonlinear threshold that enables higher light levels and lower noise.

Electronic Prognostics – A Case Study Using Global Positioning System (GPS)

An electronic system containing high frequency RF components reduces failure rates.

Development of a 94 GHz Radar System for Dedicated Bird Detection at Airports and Airfields

BIRDAR™ detected small birds at distances of 1.2 to 1.3 km and large birds.

The Effect of Failing to Recapitalize the B-52H Defensive Avionics System on Future Operations

The Air Force upgraded the B-52 aircraft with an Avionics Midlife Improvement program.

FPGAs and HPC

A study determined the value of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) for high-performance computing (HPC) applications.

Fatigue Behavior of an Advanced Melt-Infiltrated SIC/SIC Composite with Environmental Barrier Coating at 1200°C in Air and in Steam

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are being evaluated for aircraft engine hot-section components.

Novel Whisker Mitigating Composite Conformal Coat Assessment

DoD electronics have an increased failure risk due to tin whisker short circuits, unless properly mitigated by design.

Cold Sprayed Coatings with Dual Nanoparticle Reinforcements for Wear and Corrosion Protection

The use of cold spray has made significant strides since different-sized particles were explored in the process.

Bio-Based Polyurethane Containing Isosorbide for Use in Composites and Coatings

Polyurethane can be easily molded or cast into a film at ambient conditions.

Cylindrical Array Radar: Comparison to Multi-Faced Systems for Horizon Surveillance and Application to Ubiquitous Radar

Small platforms play a pivotal role in the modern Navy.

Coastal Lidar and Radar Imaging System (CLARIS) Lidar Data Report

The Army analyzed shoreline change, dune volume, beach volume, beach slope, and cumulative elevation change along the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina.

3D Data Acquisition Platform for Human Activity Understanding

A computational approach for action prediction can extend to machines and also promote further research in human prediction and intention sensing.

Development and Testing of a New Version of MBUD for Cued Classification of Marine UXO

MBUD has a new data acquisition system and incorporates technical modifications to eliminate the noise encountered in seawater.

Impact of Satellite Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance on Modern Naval Operations

Army research is determining if afloat availability of satellite ISR has fundamentally changed naval operations.

Fabrication and Testing of High-Speed Single-Rotor and Compound-Rotor Systems

The X2 Technology Demonstrator recently achieved a level flight speed over 250 knots, proving the basic concept of the coaxial compound configuration.

Review of Recent Capability Improvements in Ultrashort Pulse Laser Sources: Closing the Relevancy Gap for Directed Energy Applications

The horizon for directed energy (DE) applications, using ultrashort pulse lasers (USPLs), is quickly approaching.

The Purpose of Mixed-Effects Models in Test and Evaluation

While Defense Test and Evaluation (T&E) is different from agriculture, data attributes can be surprisingly similar.

Nonlinear Effects in Transformation Optics-Based Metamaterial Shields for Counter Directed Energy Weapon Defense

Applying an iterative solution to the Maxwell equations may accommodate the nonlinear effects produced by directed energy weapons.

MIL-DTL-32628/01-X Reusable EMI Shield Termination Band on MIL-DTL-38999 Electrical Connector Accessory Braid Termination/Tensile Qualification Test

A series of reusable bands were evaluated for tensile strength performance.

Counter-Directed Energy Weapons: Defense of Air Assets

The global proliferation of directed energy weapon technology presents a new threat for the United States.

Formal Process Modeling to Improve Human-Decision-Making During Test and Evaluation Range Control

Innoslate software tool formally models the process of conducting test range events.

Test and Evaluation of Autonomy for Air Platforms

Tools, approaches, and insights to confidently approach the safe, secure, effective, and efficient testing of autonomy on air platforms.

Ka-Band Front-End Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) and Transmit/Receive (T/R) Modules Testing

Gallium nitride monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology has superior performance in power amplifier applications.

Biobased Carbon Fibers and Thermosetting Resins for Use in DOD Composites Applications

Advanced bio-based fibers and high-performance thermosetting resins will help reduce the dependence of military composites on high-cost petroleum.

Feasibility Analysis of UAV Technology to Improve Tactical Surveillance in South Korea’s Rear Area Operations

Experimentation and analysis determined the optimum characteristics of an improved unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Stochastic Surveillance and Distributed Coordination

Designing fast and unpredictable motion strategies for robotic surveillance agents in complex environments using Markov chain modeling and optimization methods.

Quantifying Eye Movement Trajectory Similarity for Use in Human Performance Experiments in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Research

ScanMatch software determines the similarity of two strings of eye-tracking data. See why that kind of capability is valuable.