DARPA Grand Challenge

In 2005, one of the competitors in Darpa's Grand Challenge for robot vehicles was an unmanned motor bike called Ghost Rider. This was based on a 90-cc dirt bike outfitted with sensors, gyros for steering and video cameras for eyes. ...

By David Hambling GaN technology could give us small, efficient Active Denial weapons –- small enough to be installed as a non-lethal option in existing vehicles (lack of this technology meant the previous small pain beam built for Project Sheriff was not powerful enough). If successful, the technology...

By David Hambling This sounds suspiciously as though Darpa has been getting involved in the cold fusion club – without mentioning it in a way that might attract undue attention. (They learned their lesson the hard way over the isomer triggering issue )

By Nathan Hodge Specifically, Burke called for using more pilotless aircraft in Earth observation missions. The latest unmanned aerial vehicles, he argued, can offer wider coverage than geosynchronous or polar-orbiting satellites, and they can be customized to carry payloads that monitor climat...

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By Nathan Hodge It's significant for another reason: Tony Tether, who recently stepped down as chief of Darpa after almost eight years on the job, was a big fan of ISIS. This ensures that development of the concept will continue in some form after Tether's departure.

By David Hambling Darpa is a little vague about what'll become of this technology. "Transition of this technology is anticipated through industry, who will incorporate elements of the technology in current and future weapon system design," the agency notes. Illo: Micro Cryogenic Cooler, Darpa]

By Noah Shachtman The U.S. military is bankrolling a dozen or more programs, to create Sim Afghansitans and Sim Iraqs where they can test their war plans. The problem is, each model-maker uses his own set of country-building software, his own set of data about the country's social, cultural, and political st...

By Noah Shachtman Darpa Preps Son of Robotic MuleNew Video: Robot Mule Conquers Ice, SnowNew Video: Robotic Pack Mule Leaps Into ActionVideo: Robotic Pack Mule Hits the StreetsDrone Dog's Big Walk We've seen BigDog, the military's alarmingly-lifelike robotic quadruped, climb over hills, stomp thro...

By Noah Shachtman Reapers and MQ-1 Predators are often called on to track vehicles and hover over buildings to watch for "squirters," or insurgents running out of buildings during U.S. operations. Airmen controlling the sensors sometimes lose track of those vehicles or squirters if they drive or run out of...

By Noah Shachtman Darpa wants "biofouling"-free ships... New Afghan supply route: via Iran * Darpa wants "biofouling"-free ships... * ...and software that can "explain" its own "anomalous behavior" * Hamas' "medicine grenades" * Video: Tank vs. Ranger Rover (High five: RC)

By Nathan Hodge President Barack Obama is due to sign a massive, $787 billion stimulus package today in Denver. A healthy-sized portion of it -- around $20 billion -- is supposed to go towards promoting green energy. That includes $3.6 billion to pay for energy efficiency projects and facilities upgrades...

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By David Hambling The volume of data is too great to be completely transmitted, but users will be able to define at least sixty-five independent video windows within the image and zoom in or out at will. The windows can be set to automatically track items of interest such as moving vehicles. In fact, the resolu...

By David Hambling There are plenty of systems out there to identify the direction of a shooter after he has opened fire. But it might be too late by then. That's why Darpa is developing a system to spot a rocket propelled grenade before it's fired. It's a major challenge, but the solution may lie with a swarm of sof...

By Nathan Hodge But the military's interest in green tech is not limited to Iraq. NATO forces in Afghanistan are using solar-powered streetlamps as a security tool. And as Noah reported last year, the Army is planning to build one of the world's most powerful solar arrays.

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By Noah Shachtman Then there's "VADER, "short for "Vehicle and Dismount Exploitation Radar." It's a $45 million project to equip a drone with a specialized Synthetic Aperture Radar.  These sensors are better at tracking moving targets -- and changing scenery -- than standard cameras. And they work in all k...

By Nathan Hodge Darpa Wants Clean, Cheap Jet Fuel — From CoalBaghdad Base's New Generators Run on Trash Air Force Base Goes Solar; Nukes Next?Air Force to Darpa: Free Us From the Oil CartelsPentagon's Novel Idea: Stop Guzzling GasPentagon and the End of OilSolar Panels Power UpJoint Chiefs Neg "Urgent...

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By David Hambling Thin steel wires compacted under tension. When deployed the wires expand to assume predetermined geometric shapes formed from a tangle of the wire itself. Expansion ratios of 1:6000 are achievable. The devices could be used to prevent access by vehicles or by personnel to designated area...

By Ben Mack Nevertheless, the engineers at VW are confident that in the future they will be able to reach the company's goal of making autonomous vehicles safer and more fun. Last year, Junior managed to finish in second place at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Urban Challenge....

By Noah Shachtman Darpa hopes its "Personal Air Vehicle Technology" project, announced yesterday, will ultimately lead to a working prototype of a military-suitable flying car -- a two-to-four passenger vehicle that can "drive on roads" one minute, and take off like a helicopter the next. The hybrid ma...

By Noah Shachtman RESURRECT could also do some forecasting, too. Darpa would like the program to include "descriptive and predictive algorithms that can be implemented in an existing simulation software package." Far-off commanders can already watch battles unfold, thanks to spy drones, streaming vi...

By Nathan Hodge Everyone from Darpa to the National Security Initiative seems to be dangling pots of cash in front of inventors, entrepreneurs and scientists to come up with innovative new ideas for defense and national security. Here's another contest to watch.

By Nathan Hodge Earlier this week, I posted a few excellent pieces of defense swag, including a Hawaiian shirt with an AH-64 Apache helicopter motif; a cuddly hand puppet advertising mine-resistant vehicles; and a mug from the government's top-secret Mount Weather facility. Darpa playing cards

By Sharon Weinberger Basically, the vehicle even was equipped very similarly, but in contrast to the Darpa Grand Challenge where the vehicles drive along a track that connects waypoints, defined by GPS navigation, the European Land Robot Trial does not ...