Letter from the Regional Coordinator I'm excited by all of the events scheduled throughout the rest of the year. First, I'd like to thank TARDEC for agreeing to share space with the Midwest Region at this year's SAE World Congress. The Congress will be held April 19-22 in Detroit, Michigan. In May we'll be joining the World's Best Technologies Showcase at the FLC national meeting in Arlington, Texas. As always, I'm looking forward to an exciting and informative program. Read more
AFRL Seeks Improved Rehab Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injuries When Dr. Catherine Harrison pitched her novel traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatment methods to Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) officials in Washington, D.C., last fall, she was prepared for a bureaucratic shuffle. Instead, the reaction from DVBIC medical director Dr. Warren Lux not only surprised her, but launched the Air Force Research Laboratory's Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/HE) and DVBIC on a collaborative research project that could dramatically alter TBI rehabilitation therapy.Read more
AFRL, FAA Work to Keep Aircrews Safe from Lasers The Air Force Research Laboratory's Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/HE) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are working together to improve aircrew safety in situations where lasers are carelessly or maliciously pointed at aircraft. A team of optics, human factors and computer specialists has been quietly laying the groundwork for this unique research project. The fruit of their efforts is a one-of-a-kind laser positioning system integrated with a Boeing 737 flight simulator at the FAA's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Read more Cutting-edge Projects Awarded Computing Time on Blue Gene/L Nine computing projects ranging from predicting protein structure to simulating the formation of foams have been awarded large amounts of time on IBM Blue Gene/L computer systems at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and IBM's T.J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York. The computer time is available to researchers through DOE's Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program. Read more
Borated Phosphate Cements-based Nuclear Shields and Casks Argonne National Laboratory's (ANL) chemically bonded phosphate ceramic technology (also known as "phosphate cement") was initially developed between 1992 and 2001 as a stabilization method for radioactive and hazardous waste. Originally developed for the Department of Energy's (DOE) nuclear waste management program, the technology uses chemical syntheses to form phosphate ceramics at room temperature instead of high-temperature sintering. Read more
The ability of cells to survive oxygen deprivation after a cardiac arrest, heart attack, or stroke can be significantly improved by rapidly cooling the affected organs. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) engineers (Ken Kasza, lead engineer), working with the University of Chicago Medical School have developed an easy-to-use ice slurry, along with the associated slurry generation methods, delivery equipment, and medical use protocols that can more effectively cool organs than current technologies. Read more Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) developed the Electricity Market Complex Adaptive System (EMCAS) software to meet the growing need for advanced modeling approaches that simulate how electricity markets evolve over time and how participants in these markets may react to the changing physical, economic and regulatory environments in which they operate. Read more EPA Expands Agreement to Further Work in Green Chemistry On February 15, 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Kreido Biofuels, Inc. (Kreido) of Camarillo, California, announced the expansion of an existing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). This effort is part of the EPA's Office of Research and Development's Sustainability Research Program. The original CRADA was signed in 2004 to develop and commercialize green and sustainable chemistries for the synthesis of industrial chemicals using Kreido's patented Spinning Tube-in-Tube (STT®) reactor technology. What makes this CRADA unique is the inclusion of a mechanism that allows third-party companies to enter into the relationship and have the EPA confidentially develop and test alternative processes using Kreido's reactor technology. Read more Animal Disease and Agro-terrorism The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting several projects concerning foreign animal disease (FAD) pathogens, agricultural terrorism, and agriculture disaster management. These projects will help define the EPA's supporting role in the agricultural emergency response efforts led by the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The EPA's National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) is coordinating its efforts with the EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. Read more
Heart Arrhythmia Monitoring System The Heart Arrhythmia Monitoring System allows medical professionals to remotely monitor a subject's heart rhythms in real time. The system consists of a Palm personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell phone, and a Bluetooth transceiver. Electrocardiogram sensors connect to the patient noninvasively. The data is collected by the PDA and continuously transmitted wirelessly via Bluetooth and the cell phone to a remote location. The data may be monitored in real time or recorded for later review using NASA's embedded web technology. The system can be worn in a shirt pocket or attached to a belt. Once commercialized, the Heart Arrhythmia Monitoring System could replace existing Holter monitors (which are used for diagnosing occasional cardiac arrhythmias) and also provide continuous monitoring of cardiac patients-whether they are in the hospital or at home. Read more Upcoming T2 Conferences and Events
|
