Defense Technology International - September 2007 - (Page 60) THE CUTTING EDGE TECH REVIEW CATHERINE MACRAE HOCKMUTH UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON Film School Scientists at the University of Southampton, England, and their partners at the Deutsches Kunststoff-Institut (DKI) in Darmstadt, Germany, have developed a plastic film that can be sewn into patches on uniforms to detect toxins or chemical agents, integrated with security identification cards, or fitted on uniforms, aircraft and vehicles to identify friendly forces. In the latter scenario, project leader Jeremy Baumberg says, the patch would reflect an invisible infrared color that looks normal while emitting a signature for special IR detectors. The $2-million project includes $50,000 from the U.K.’s Defense Science and Technology Laboratory, which seeks to uncover as many military applications as possible. The filmmaking process begins with tiny plastic balls made up of three materials that are grown in a vat and then “squeezed together” with carbon nanoparticles until they assemble into a stack called an opal. Without the nanoparticles, light shining through the film produces a milky white color unless held at the right angle. With them, the film is brightly colored regardless of angle. The big challenge is large-scale manufacturing of the films. DKI has made a roll 100 meters long by 1 meter wide (330 X 3.3 ft.). Baumberg says the film could be available in two to three years. I 1 Walking the Dog Boston Dynamics Inc. received a $10-million contract to build a pack-hauling, legged robot for the military. The project, called BigDog, is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It will provide a vehicle that travels swiftly over rough terrain (top speed thus far is 3.3 mph.); keeps moving despite 1 X 2-meter obstacles, which it will jump over; and operates for 2 hr. on a tank of gas. An onboard computer controls locomotion. The “legs” mimic those of animals by absorbing shock and recycling energy as they move forward. The company released a video of BigDog in action during which a program official repeatedly kicks the robot to make it fall over. It doesn’t. The contract could be worth up to $40 million. “The goal of this effort is to create legged robots that mimic animal structure, mechanics and control to achieve animal-like strength, speed and mobility,” says Darpa. I 2 U.S. ARMY ON THE EDGE U.K. Grand Challenge Britain’s Defense Ministry selected six finalists to participate in its Darpa-inspired Grand Challenge race in August 2008 at Copehill Down, England. Like the U.S. version, the British Grand Challenge will require autonomous vehicles to traverse rough urban terrain in a complex battlefield setting. Teams must autonomously identify and report the position of targets including improvised explosive devices, snipers and enemy soldiers or insurgents who may not be in uniform. The teams include defense contractors, smaller businesses and universities. There’s no monetary prize as such, but winners will receive a trophy. The ministry plans, however, to spend $10 million on the project, with the money split evenly among teams whose work is promising. The goal is to promote military research and innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence. Team concepts include unmanned aerial vehicles with high-definition cameras, miniature robot helicopters that fly indoors and sensors that see through walls. I 60 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL SEPTEMBER 2007 3 U.K. MINISTRY OF DEFENSE www.aviationweek.com/dti http://www.aviationweek.com/dti
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