SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

It’s estimated that up to ten percent of ordnance does not detonate when it impacts training ranges and combat zones. That means that even after a conflict or live-fire training are over – sometimes even decades later – unexploded bombs, missiles, and artillery shells still pose a deadly threat to military personnel and civilians. Finding them and cleaning them up, usually done by personnel on the ground, is dangerous work. But a team of researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) and Dartmouth College is pioneering a new way to keep humans out of harm’s way by using drones to find and identify unexploded ordnance. “We use what's called electromagnetic induction so generally we just create a really strong magnetic field and that magnetic field interacts with these metallic targets that are in the subsurface,” said CRREL Research Physical Scientist Michele Maxson. “We're able to use physics to look at that magnetic field and say, ‘OK this metal target in the subsurface, what is its shape, what is its size?’ Once we're able to figure out what its shape is and what its size is and what its depth is as well, we can say ‘that is going to be a munition,’ or ‘that's going to be a coke can.’” The custom built, electromagnetic array that detects and categorizes the unexploded ordnance is light enough to be flown by a group 2 octo-rotor drone that is already widely used by the U.S. Army. “This is intended to ultimately be our rapidly deployable, mid-scale solution,” said Brian Quinn, a CRREL research general engineer. “This is the best way to enter an austere environment and do some investigation. We'd certainly rather keep people out of harm's way, and we can put equipment in their place.” Beyond its battlefield applications, researchers are also exploring ways the system could be used on civil works or even everyday construction projects, such as finding lead pipes, alerting workers to buried items before they begin digging or locating underground infrastructure. Archive videography by: Airman 1st Class Trevor Bell, Spc. Elijah Magana, Airman 1st Class Makenna Patterson, Pfc. Nicholas Bryan and Lance Cpl. Kanoa Thomas, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jackson Adkins, Sgt. Marla Ogden, and William Lewis.

SEVEN Labs, ONE ERDC From developing technologies that...

The Port of Nome is undergoing a major modernization effort with the goal of providing a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system for commerce, national security, and tourism. As a crucial regional hub for the Seward Peninsula and western Alaska, this project in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Alaska District addresses the port's current depth limitations to better serve the community, the region and the military. The project requires a design modification that will enlarge the harbor's outer basin and create a new deep-water basin at minus 40 feet, enabling safer access for larger-class vessels. To validate the new design, district engineers and Alaska Marine Pilots sought out the assets and expertise of the U.S. Army Watercraft and Ship Simulator at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). The initial simulations tested the proposed designs under real-world conditions, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the final selection. The most recent simulations brought the group back to ERDC to confirm the initial phased approach to the project. Watch to learn more about ERDC’s role in furthering the success of this project and what it means for its USACE and Port of Nome stakeholders.

The Port of Nome is undergoing a major modernization effort with the goal of providing a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system for commerce, national security, and tourism. As a crucial regional hub for the Seward Peninsula and western Alaska, this project in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Alaska District addresses the port's current depth limitations to better serve the community, the region and the military. The project requires a design modification that will enlarge the harbor's outer basin and create a new deep-water basin at minus 40 feet, enabling safer access for larger-class vessels. To validate the new design, district engineers and Alaska Marine Pilots sought out the assets and expertise of the U.S. Army Watercraft and Ship Simulator at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). The initial simulations tested the proposed designs under real-world conditions, ensuring the safety and efficiency of the final selection. The most recent simulations brought the group back to ERDC to confirm the initial phased approach to the project. Watch to learn more about ERDC’s role in furthering the success of this project and what it means for its USACE and Port of Nome stakeholders.

As Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, as a Category 4 storm in October 2024, a small camera station nearby operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers documented its arrival and impact on the coastline. The cameras are part of the CorpsCam network developed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC). The cameras continued to operate throughout the storm, collecting invaluable data and images of the extensive storm surge, structural overtopping and large waves. And they did it all while transmitting that data in near real time. The system’s ability to collect and transmit data while taking a direct hit from a hurricane showcased both the system’s resilience and its importance for helping engineers and scientists better understand severe coastal storms and their impact on our coastlines. ERDC developed CorpsCam to overcome the challenges of surveying inaccessible areas after storms, withstanding hurricane-force winds to capture bathymetry and images or to stand watch over natural coastline processes. The system has also become an invaluable tool to engineers across USACE to better monitor the progress of federal beach and other coastal projects, and the ongoing resilience of those coastlines. Watch this video to learn more about the development, growth and impact of CorpsCam. #coastalines #coastalengineering #beaches #cameras #camerasystems #monitoring #hurricanes #tropicalstorms #coastalerosion #erosion #resilentcoastlines #data #dataanalytics #bathymetry #coastalprocesses #engineer #engineers #engineering #innovation #technology #science #research #researchanddevelopment #PowerofERDC

At ERDC, physical models play a key role in how we solve complex challenges, and the R&D Fabrication Shop makes that all possible. The R&D Shop helps turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions. Working side-by-side with researchers, the craftsmen build precision parts, customize components and rapidly adjust and refine model features. From custom frameworks to intricate scale structures, their work ensures accuracy, safety and innovation in every project.

Military logistics operations in austere environments can often be hindered by the lack of force mobility across littoral zones, riverine shorelines and wet/dry gaps. These environments can rapidly transition between wet and dry states, present steep slopes, and have weak soils that limit vehicle weight and number of passes. The current solution used by the warfighter is the deployment of structural mediums to traverse soft soils, but these have environmental limitations. The existing matting and site-stabilization systems cannot be readily adapted for submerged or partially submerged conditions along the shoreline. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is overcoming this force projection challenge with the development of SUBMAT, a submersible matting system, to facilitate mobility across the shoreline and wet/dry gaps. The system combines current soil stability technology and mobility matting into a single product that is rapidly deployable from vehicles, small-craft vessels or by hand. To accelerate their SUBMAT vision, ERDC sought the help of ERDCWERX, a partnership intermediary, to facilitate the search for an industry partner for prototype development, testing, and possible tech transfer. Watch to learn more about the evolution of SUBMAT and its potential as a force projection multiplier for logistic operations over the shore. Industry video and interview: Logan Hossley, ERDCWERX

Military logistics operations in austere environments can often be hindered by the lack of force mobility across littoral zones, riverine shorelines and wet/dry gaps. These environments can rapidly transition between wet and dry states, present steep slopes, and have weak soils that limit vehicle weight and number of passes. The current solution used by the warfighter is the deployment of structural mediums to traverse soft soils, but these have environmental limitations. The existing matting and site-stabilization systems cannot be readily adapted for submerged or partially submerged conditions along the shoreline. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is overcoming this force projection challenge with the development of SUBMAT, a submersible matting system, to facilitate mobility across the shoreline and wet/dry gaps. The system combines current soil stability technology and mobility matting into a single product that is rapidly deployable from vehicles, small-craft vessels or by hand. To accelerate their SUBMAT vision, ERDC sought the help of ERDCWERX, a partnership intermediary, to facilitate the search for an industry partner for prototype development, testing, and possible tech transfer. Watch to learn more about the evolution of SUBMAT and its potential as a force projection multiplier for logistic operations over the shore. Industry Video and Interview: Logan Hossley, ERDCWERX