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  • March

    Team members at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Information Technology Laboratory test a new set of virtual reality gloves, which allow users to grab and manipulate items within a simulated environment. The gloves are just one step in expanding the augmented and virtual reality research and development capabilities of the lab.

    Virtual reality gloves take ITL to a new level

    As the world of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) continues to rapidly expand, cutting-edge equipment is increasingly vital to remaining relevant. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) AR/VR One Team has stepped up to the plate by acquiring two sets of virtual reality gloves that allow users to grab and manipulate items within a simulated environment.

  • February

    Receiving a patent in July 2021 for “Bedload transport methodology and method of use,” a Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) team at the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) discuss their invention. It estimates sediment movement rates by measuring the bathymetric elevations in specific areas of a river multiple times. From left, CHL’s research hydraulic engineer David Abraha, research physicist Tate McAlpin and research physicist Thad Pratt invented these methods to answer river engineers’ challenges.

    Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory invention team receives patent for bed-load transport measurement technique

    Utilizing their combined decades of experience in river mechanics, a four-member team of research physicists and hydraulic engineers with the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) combined their expertise to invent the Integrated Section, Surface Difference Over Time, version 2 (ISSDOTv2) method, which accurately measures the sediment moving on the bed of large sand-bed rivers. The team from ERDC’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (CHL) received their patent, “Bedload transport methodology and method of use,” in July of 2021.

  • January

    Detection and elimination of munitions are important for both humans and wildlife. Gurtowski explained that his system includes a container with an amine-functionalized chitin (AFC) compound to interact with a water sample. The AFC compound produces a color change correlated with the presence and concentration of munitions. With detection of at least a one part per million (ppm) concentration of NTO, DNAN or TNT, a solid pale-yellow organic nitrogen compound used chiefly as an explosive, the munitions are absorbed by the AFC compound, and a filter captures and removes the environmentally harmful particles.

    Environmental Laboratory patent can eliminate environmentally-harmful munitions

    A multi-faceted compound that not only produces color changes when added to various Military munition concentrations is also capable of absorbing these dangerous participles for removal, thanks to precise processes invented by the Environmental Laboratory (EL) team at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC).
  • Officials from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) cut the ribbon for two new Supercomputing Research Center facilities at the Information Technology Laboratory in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on January 20, 2021. The official party, from left to right, included retired ITL Director Patti Duett, ERDC Deputy Director Dr. Beth Fleming, Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley Fisackerly, ERDC Director Dr. David Pittman, ITL Director Dr. David Horner, ITL Deputy Director Dr. Jackie Pettway, ERDC Director Emeritus Dr. Jeff Holland, Supercomputing Research Center Director Bobby Hunter, retired ITL Director Dr. Reed Mosher and ERDC Commander Col. Teresa Schlosser.

    U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center opens new Supercomputing Research Facility

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Information Technology Lab (ITL) held a ribbon cutting for two new, state-of-the-art Supercomputing Research Center (SRC) facilities in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

  • November

    Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, USACE Commanding General and 55th Chief of Engineers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) speaks about the importance of innovation during his keynote address to kick off the 2021 USACE Virtual Innovation Summit. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)

    USACE summit touts innovation as key to future development

    The 2021 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Innovation Summit was conducted virtually, October 25-29.

  • October

    The fully deployed Rapid Armor Protection for Instant Deployment, or RAPID, system provides additional protection to service members. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)

    ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory tests two new rapidly deployable protection systems

    Last month, researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory unveiled two new systems that will provide additional protection to American servicemen and women in the field.

  • September

    A CREATE-developed simulation of the CH 53K, a heavy Marine helicopter, is shown.

    CREATE program revolutionizes DoD acquisition efforts

    The High Performance Computing Modernization Program’s Computational Research and Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environments (CREATE) program is changing the landscape of Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition efforts. With a mission to produce high-fidelity simulation tools for ships, aircraft, ground vehicles, antenna design and meshing and geometry, the program is leading the charge to provide transformative capabilities to the defense community and currently serves over 2,400 government, industry and academic users.

  • Battle Lab Collaborative Simulation Environment offers ERDC new capabilities

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is now part of the Army Battle Lab Collaborative Simulation Environment (BLCSE), a closed restricted network that connects a variety of organizations and enables experimentation, prototyping and collaboration. Managed by the Army Futures Command, the BLCSE is in the process of being expanded to include new groups. The ERDC’s designation as a node within the network allows team members to utilize the BLCSE as they plan and execute programs, identify new opportunities to contribute to ongoing initiatives and help inform senior leader decisions.
  • A team at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) was recently honored with an award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for their collaborative effort to address the worldwide problem of potholes with a unique innovation, Induction Hot-Mix Asphalt (iHMA).

    ERDC’s ‘simple but unique’ pothole solution honored with Federal Lab Consortium award

    From NASCAR racetracks to aircraft runways on military bases across the world, wherever they develop, potholes can cause serious problems. A team at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) was recently honored with an award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for their collaborative effort to address the worldwide problem of potholes with a unique innovation, Induction Hot-Mix Asphalt (iHMA).

  • August

    A tube operated in gas proportional mode produces waveforms displayed on an oscilloscope. Subsequently these waveforms were captured with high-speed, analog-to-digital electronics. The instrumentation was used by U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Environmental Laboratory researchers in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to develop an electronic collimator invention for detecting gamma radiation, a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei. The invention enables the warfighter with a detector capable of directional detection without the use of shielding. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)

    Patented Electronically Collimated Gamma Radiation Detector aids Warfighters

    A team of researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory (EL) will be recognized later this year for an electronic collimator invention that enables the warfighter with a gamma radiation detector capable of directional detection without the use of shielding.         

  • July

    A new agreement between the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and Microsoft will improve climate modeling and natural disaster resilience through the use of predictive analytics-powered, cloud-based tools and Artificial Intelligence services.

    ERDC, Microsoft agreement aims to analyze risk of extreme weather in the cloud

    Modeling the risk of extreme weather and natural disasters along the nation’s coastline is critical to the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) mission of delivering innovative solutions for safer, better world.

  • June

    ERDC has begun to ship simulator technology for military uses giving leaders a tool to simulate vessel landings in severe environments.

    Using simulation tools for operational readiness in maritime and littoral operations

    Operational readiness is a term used throughout the six branches of the U.S. military. The ability of armed forces to conduct the full range of military operations, regardless of a posed threat, is contingent upon how well units are manned, equipped, trained and led. To increase readiness, researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) have partnered with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps on a joint venture to use ship simulation and numerical models in the planning of amphibious assaults and littoral operations.

  • May

    Ray Dos Santos, a mathematician and computer scientist with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Geospatial Research Laboratory, Alexandria, Virginia, uses large amounts of historical data, social media activity and news articles to identify the best indicators of when and where a terrorist attack may take place. This “Big Data” approach uses massive amounts of available information, along with high-end parallel computing, to find important clues in the fight against rogue activities. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo)

    Using a “Big Data” approach to find threats, fight terror

    Whether at home or abroad, the main goal of any commander is to keep Soldiers safe. With that in mind, researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) have been using large amounts of historical data, social media activity and news articles to identify the best indicators of when and where a terrorist attack may take place. This “Big Data” approach uses massive amounts of available information, along with high-end parallel computing, to find important clues that aid in the fight against rogue activities.
  • Staff Sgt. Russell Gaskin, U.S. Army Prime Power School instructor, reviews an electrical panel during the Prime Power Capstone Training Exercise at the Contingency Basing Integration Training and Evaluation Center (CBITEC) in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Aug. 11, 2020. Prime Power School students are tested at the CBITEC on the knowledge, skills and abilities they gained over the year-long course to become prime power specialists. CBITEC is a U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory facility that supports the operational energy continuum and safely trains the warfighter to tackle the nation’s power challenges.

    Institute for Systems Engineering Research takes on new task: talent management

    The Institute for Systems Engineering Research (ISER) team at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is applying their expertise to an unexpected field: talent management. The need for a hard-to-find skillset to fill the role of prime power production specialist — which is a high-demand position involving electrical assessments, quality assurance and control and medium-voltage electrical power production and distribution ― has driven the Army to seek new methods to help fill and retain these vital roles.
  • As part of an U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)-University project, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District Biologist Damian Walter is netting flowering rush plants for a feeding study at the ERDC Environmental Laboratory’s greenhouse on the Vicksburg, Mississippi, installation. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Dr. Nathan Harms)

    Aquatic Botany journal features biologist Damian Walter’s ERDC-U project

    U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory Research Biologist Dr. Nathan Harms co-authored a journal article as one of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Walla Walla District Wildlife Biologist Damien Walter’s 2019 ERDC University mentors.

  • August

    Dr. Jed Eberly, a former research microbiologist with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Environmental Laboratory, led a team in the invention of “DNA-Based Testing for Environmental Contamination,” a process that earned a patent in February 2020.

    ERDC environmental experts awarded patent for improving soil contamination testing

    Testing soil for contaminants on military bases rather than sending samples to a laboratory has produced speedier, cost-saving results for researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Environment Laboratory (EL). The team received a U.S. Patent this year for their innovative process “DNA-Based Testing for Environmental Contamination.”