Photo By Gabriella White | The Autonomous Equipment Decontamination System has been demonstrated at several...... read more read more
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) is paving the way and helping the Army transform into a multi-domain force through its modernization and priority research efforts that are linked to the National Defense Strategy and nation’s goals. CBC continues to lead in the development of innovative defense technology, including autonomous chem-bio defense solutions designed to enhance accuracy and safety to the warfighter.
Having successfully developed new versions of military assets, including a biological sensor integration project for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in 2018, DEVCOM CBC has become a reputable leader for the Army’s large-scale technology integration efforts. The addition of sensors and in-house engineering innovations applied to the UAV allowed rapid detection of airborne biological threats through remote operations and real-time communication between the payload and drone operator.
The addition of autonomous capabilities paired with other advanced technologies also improves warfighters’ decision-making capabilities. “Broadly, we’re in a digital world now,” said Patrick Riley, a research chemist and machine learning advisor to the sensors program at DEVCOM CBC. “Information is constantly being generated. The integration of AI/ML compiles the most pertinent information to warfighters faster,” he noted. “Warfighters are still making decisions, but this capability allows them to make them more quickly without having to filter through every aspect of information.”
Technology leaders such as DEVCOM CBC play a key role in providing the tools that allow troops to readily adapt based on the conditions and threats in specific domains at any given time. “The application of AI/ML supports a lot of projects we do, with the number one goal of protecting warfighters and reducing exposure to hazards,” said Riley.
Pairing AI/ML with technology that has already been developed and tested at CBC can further reduce hazardous chemical and biological exposures to the warfighter while improving decision-making and readiness. The Center is using advanced tools like sensors and data-driven algorithms to create detailed maps and develop a greater understanding of the environment to which various technologies can be applied. These useful tools are being incorporated into advanced technologies like robots, drones, bio-printing, and high-tech manufacturing and adhere to responsible AI ethics principles.
In a prototype of the Autonomous Equipment Decontamination (AED) System, DEVCOM CBC demonstrated the future of decontamination technology. The concept of the AED System combines unmanned systems, AI/ML, and autonomous behaviors to identify, map, and decontaminate military combat vehicles on the battlefield. The Center has spearheaded the project, combining its specialization in the development and advancement of robotics, AI/ML, and sensors along with industry partners to provide advanced solutions for the Army’s missions.
The system reduces the burden for warfighters and enhances mission readiness on the field by using robotic platforms, autonomous behaviors, and other advanced technologies to reduce the time, logistics, and personnel required to conduct decontamination operations. It includes remotely operated robotic systems configured with sensors to identify and map chemical and biological contamination and precisely apply an advanced decontamination solution to only the contaminated areas of a military vehicle.
All of this is helping the Army move into a new era of chem-bio defense for multi-domain operations (MDO) and the Center has recently unveiled several innovative capabilities in support of this transformative effort.
The MDO approach is pushing the defense sector to think critically about new ways to apply tools and technology to work in specific situations, while also enabling systems to switch between different functions and environments smoothly. The need for military assets to be versatile is becoming increasingly important as the battle domain quickly changes. David Glynn, DEVCOM CBC Liaison Officer to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, says, “We must be able to fight and win in different situations, considering the environment, rules, conditions, sizes, formations and places.” As DEVCOM CBC continues to develop these advanced systems, it is critical to meet these needs.
The Center is supporting this effort by integrating its current capabilities throughout its project portfolio to support the U.S. Army in its vision to develop the fighting force of the future and applying it to other organizations as well. “We are having collaborative discussions to identify where a demand lies,” said Glynn. “We’re taking components from one military branch and integrating them into other branches so we can bring these solutions into the realm of possible.”
Collaborations among partners and the Center’s sister organizations have also been beneficial in creating and refining systems. “We develop various partnerships in the industry including academia, businesses, and other government entities to help facilitate solutions,” Glynn continued. “Communication is the most critical component of any development capabilities.” Continued collaboration will allow the Center with greater capability to accelerate technology advancements and support and defend the warfighter.
In a proof-of-concept study, scientists at DEVCOM CBC have been working to miniaturize sensors so information can be provided to Soldiers and equipment on a universal interface. These microsensors would allow users to select and customize capabilities for each unique mission. Project researchers envision stealth microsensors that can be used for deployment which are also cost-effective enough to discard after use. This new development has been applied to various prototypes, with the most recent deployment of the microsensor application taking place at Rio Robotico in April of 2024. The demonstration used a robotic dog to deploy the CBRN microsensors and establish mesh network communications.
The microsensor program has proven to be successful, becoming an officially recognized program in September of 2023, creating an opportunity for the Center and other joint partners to implement microsensors into various project areas. “The solutions do not lie in a single sensor or single type of sensor,” said Dr. Patricia McDaniel, the Army’s Senior Research Scientist (ST) for Chemistry at DEVCOM CBC. Instead, the microsensors, which are essentially a ‘system within a system,’ will allow for greater continuity amongst Army functions.
“The microsensors will help us develop a deeper understanding of our environment and various detection capabilities,” McDaniel said. “We will be able to utilize a variety of sensor modalities to query an area and determine if there is a threat without having to place our warfighters in harm’s way.” The addition of this program opens new avenues for functions of military assets by enhancing and exploring new use cases for current capabilities. It also aids in the development of other autonomous technologies that are being harnessed throughout various projects at the Center.
DEVCOM CBC is a key player in supporting the U.S. Army’s mission to capture and implement cutting-edge science and technology capabilities that align to priorities identified in the Department of Defense’s National Defense Science & Technology Strategy. With a team of experts at the forefront of innovation and a wide range of capabilities that span across various domains, the Center has supported the Army in developing mission critical solutions designed for integration across the board. DEVCOM CBC is harnessing its specialization in research and development of chemical and biological protection for warfighters to counter emerging threats and navigate a new era of the battlespace.
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The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, is Army Futures Command’s leader and integrator within a global ecosystem of scientific exploration and technological innovation. DEVCOM expertise spans eight major competency areas to provide integrated research, development, analysis and engineering support to the Army and DOD. From rockets to robots, drones to dozers, and aviation to artillery, DEVCOM innovation is at the core of the combat capabilities American Warfighters need to win on the battlefield of the future. For more information, visit devcom.army.mil.
The DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center is the primary DOD technical organization for non-medical chemical and biological defense. The DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center fosters research, development, testing and application of technologies for protecting our military from chemical and biological warfare agents. The Center possesses an unrivaled chemical biological defense research and development infrastructure staffed by a highly-trained, multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, technicians and specialists located at four different sites in the United States: Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas; Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois; and Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2024 16:37 |
| Story ID: | 481004 |
| Location: | ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DEVCOM CBC Innovates and Integrates through Autonomous Technologies, by Patrick Rodeheaver, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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