Office of Naval Research Using AFRL SBIR-Developed Technologies

  • Published
  • By Information Directorate
  • AFRL/IF
Scientific Research Corporation (SRC) developed a trio of technologies under an AFRL Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Cave-Optimized Audio/Video-Enabled Network (CAVE-Net) program is now utilizing these technologies. CAVE-Net provides multiterrain wireless network capabilities for use in caves, sewers, tunnels, urban areas, and other restrictive environments.

SRC leveraged past SBIR developments--including MobileRoute ® mobile ad hoc networking, Wavelet Packet Modulation (WPM), and NetTempo mission-based quality of service (MBQoS) software--for the effort. Whereas MobileRoute provides range extension and automatic self-forming, self-healing wireless network capabilities for the subterranean and urban environments, the WPM-based CAVE-Net transceiver supports expeditionary warfare units by providing a radio waveform that can easily adapt to operation in the unknown and variable propagation conditions occurring underground. The technology also offers resistance to multipath fading, which is critical to operation in urban environments. The NetTempo software will use the MBQoS client integrated into the CAVE-Net transceiver to process changing information priorities based on role or mission phase. In the future, NetTempo will also include the capability to configure and adapt waveform parameters as a function of mission phase and information requirements.