In a keynote speech to attendees of the 2018 Oceans Conference–held last week in Charleston, South Carolina–Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. David Hahn discussed the goals of the U.S. Navy’s Task Force Ocean, a signature program of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson. TFO is designed to reinvigorate the Navy’s commitment to ocean…
Freeze Fighter: Artificial Blubber Protects Divers in Frigid Water
Diving in icy water is extremely dangerous to humans. Within seconds, arteries tighten, blood pressure and heart rate race, and lungs gasp for air. After only minutes, hyperventilation strikes and arms and legs go numb—signaling the onset of hypothermia. To protect U.S. Navy divers operating in freezing conditions, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is…
Old School Meets New School: Flight Deck Ouija Boards Go Digital
The flight decks of aviation-capable vessels like aircraft carriers bustle with noise and danger–screaming jets, snapping steel cables and powerful tractors and forklifts. Planning and orchestrating this high-octane dance requires precision and accuracy from those responsible for directing deck traffic. To make the jobs of aircraft handlers easier, the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) TechSolutions…
ONR to Lead Team of ‘Unmanned Warriors’ to the United Kingdom
Autonomy and unmanned systems experts from across the naval science and technology (S&T) community will converge on the shores of the United Kingdom next month for the first-ever Unmanned Warrior joint exercise hosted by the British Royal Navy. The U.S. Navy contingent, led by the Office of Naval Research(ONR), will experiment with 10 technology projects to…
Awesome Autonomy: The Future Force and RoboBoats
The future of naval engineering was on display last week, as 13 teams of high school and college students did battle at the ninth annual RoboBoat Competition in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The competition—sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International Foundation—is a robotics contest where teams program their…
Big Data, 3D Printing and Robots: Marine Corps Commandant Touts ONR S&T
Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) Gen. Robert B. Neller recently visited the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to get a close-up look at some of the latest technologies being developed for the U.S. Marine Corps—from autonomous systems to virtual reality training devices. During his visit, Neller met with Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Mat Winter,…
ONR Research Links Child’s Play to Robot Learning
The future of human-robot partnerships could be revolutionized by child’s play—specifically, the play of babies. A team of researchers led by Dr. Rajesh Rao, a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington, recently published a paper showing how robots can learn much like children—amassing data by watching adults do something, determining…
The Future of Navy Combat Training?
Lookouts on the bridge of the USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) scanned the surrounding ocean. All seemed well—clear skies, peaceful waters, busy merchant ship traffic. Suddenly, a swarm of small fast-attack boats buzzed toward the destroyer. Within moments, a machine gunner shot withering streams of 50-caliber bullets at the approaching enemies, forcing their retreat. This wasn’t…
Cold Front: Researchers Explore Arctic Land and Sea at Navy ICEX
As the Navy’s Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016 winds to a close this week in the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean, officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) today reported new scientific research that took place during the event that will enhance our understanding of, and ability to safely operate in, Arctic maritime environments.…
Happy Birthday, ONR: 70 Years of Game-Changing Science and Technology
As 2016 kicks into gear, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is kicking off a series of events throughout the year to celebrate 70 years of developing cutting-edge science and technology (S&T) for U.S. naval forces. It was in August 1946, just after the Second World War, that Congress mandated a new military command to identify and…
‘Sim’ Celebration: ONR Tech Displayed at World’s Largest Simulation, Training Show
The Office of Naval Research (ONR) displayed a range of training technologies at this week’s Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference—also called I/ITSEC. New training capabilities depend on computer-enhanced or -generated virtual reality scenarios that enable warfighters to engage with computer-generated forces simulating the complexity of real environments at an affordable cost. I/ITSEC, which ended Dec. 4, is…
Patent Push: US Navy Received Nearly 400 Patents In Fiscal Year 2015
A process for using natural turpentine to create sustainable fuels and improve the range of diesel-powered unmanned aerial vehicles. A method to filter data from multiple hardware devices into a single interface and potentially allow one person to control several unmanned vehicle systems at once. These are just two of the 393 patents the Department…
Tech Aids Recovery of 63-Year-Old Plane Wreck
On Alaska’s Mount Gannett, pleasant weather can turn nasty quickly. Sunshine gives way to frigid rain; clear skies fall victim to thick storm clouds and fog. Not ideal conditions for exploring a 63-year-old plane wreck on an isolated, crevasse-riddled glacier. Last month, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, U.S. Air Force, Alaska Army National Guard and Defense…
ONR Features Technology for Marines of the Future
From virtual training to laser weapons, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) this week is showcasing a range of technologies at Modern Day Marine exposition that will prepare Marines as they continue to face an increasingly complex security landscape. ONR program officers will be in Booth No. 2305 during the event, held Sept. 23-25 at Marine Corps…
Marines of the Future
From virtual training to laser weapons, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) this week is showcasing a range of technologies at Modern Day Marine exposition that will prepare Marines as they continue to face an increasingly complex security landscape. ONR program officers will be in Booth No. 2305 during the event, held Sept. 23-25 at Marine Corps…
Students Race for Top Prize in RoboBoat Competition
Obstacle avoidance. Automated docking. Speed gates. Acoustic beacon positioning. Underwater light identification. These are just some of the missions teams had to successfully complete to win at the 7th annual International RoboBoat Competition, held this month at the Founders Inn and Spa in Virginia Beach, Va. The competition—sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and…
Robocopter Brings New Capabilities to the Marine Corps
Autonomy options for the Marines have taken a major step forward, as officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has announced two successful helicopter flight demonstrations with unmanned flight capability at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., part of the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) program. AACUS will enable the Marine Corps to rapidly resupply forces…