Automating Mission Control for AF UAVs

Engineers at Boston University (BU) are working on a theoretical approach to improve automated mission control and decision-making for fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Automating these functions would let UAVs adapt their actions more rapidly in response to unforeseen events and ultimately require less human supervision. (Photo Credit: Dr. David Castañón, Boston University)

New Ways of Measuring Catastrophic Risks

Noted AFOSR-funded researcher, Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky is pioneering a new approach for measuring, anticipating and managing catastrophic risks, sometimes called “Black Swans” or natural catastrophes like hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and floods that may possibly enhance the Air Force’s capabilities of preparing for disasters. (Photo Credit: NASA)

Faster and More Efficient Software for the Air Force

Dr. Myra Cohen and her team of researchers at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln have addressed the issue of faulty software. They have developed an algorithm and open source tool that is 300 times faster at generating tests and also reduces the time of software testing over its predecessor. (Credit: University of Nebraska, Lincoln)

World's Smallest Semiconductor Laser

AFOSR-MURI and National Science Foundation-funded professor, Dr. Xiang Zhang has demonstrated at the University of California, Berkeley the world’s smallest semiconductor laser, which may have applications to the Air Force in communications, computing and bio-hazard detection.

AFOSR-Funded Optical Links Advance Quantum Communications

Researcher Dr. David H. Hughes of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) in Rome, N.Y. is leading a team that is investigating long-distance, mobile optical links imperative for secure quantum communications capabilities in theater. (Credit: Brian Rhea, Director, Corporate Communications, AOptix Technologies)

Unique New MAV Wins First Prize

French researcher, Dr. Jean-Marc Moschetta, funded by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development, in London, England and the French DoD has designed a rugged micro air vehlcle (MAV) that is attractive to the U.S. Air Force because of its high aerodynamic efficiency, even in adverse conditions. Moschetta's students who contributed to the design and fabrication of the early prototypes of the MAV include: Boris Bataillé, Loris Rion, Charles Plachot and all the MAV club from ISAE. (Credit: ISAE)

Highly-Efficient New MAV

A French researcher, funded by the European Office of Aerospace Research and Development (EOARD), in London, England and the French DoD has designed a rugged micro air vehicle (MAV) that is attractive to the U.S. Air Force because of its high aerodynamic efficiency, even in adverse conditions. (Credit: Institut Superieur de l’Aeronautique et de l’espace)

Finding New Applications for Carbon Nanostructures

Dr. Jiwoong Park of Cornell University, who receives basic research funding from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), is investigating carbon nanostructures that may someday be used in electronic, thermal, mechanical and sensing devices for the Air Force. (Credit: Adam Tsen, Cornell University)

Mission ready electronics

AFOSR-funded near-field plates could lead to microscopes with unprecedented resolution, hi-tech lithography systems, and electronics that are always charged and mission ready. (Photo Credit: Cyan James)

AFOSR and NASA launch rocket environmentally friendly fueled rocket

The Air Force Office of Scientific Research and NASA launched the first-ever test rocket fueled by environmentally-friendly Aluminum-Ice Propellant August 7 near Purdue University. The ALICE flight-vehicle accelerated to a speed of 205 mph and reached an altitude of nearly 1300 feet. (Credit: Dr. Steven F. Son, Purdue University)

Geosemble, MapStrata, Maps

A map of Baghdad that has been automatically registered and aligned with imagery of Baghdad from GoogleMaps (Image courtesy of Dr. Craig Knoblock, University of Southern California, Information Sciences Institute)

Geosemble, MapStrata, Maps

Basic research funding from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) has led to the development of software for aligning maps with satellite imagery called MapStrata. Pictured above, Cyrus Shahabi (left), Jason Chen (center), and Craig Knoblock (right) from Geosemble Technologies review the latest version. (Image courtesy of Dr. Craig Knoblock, University of Southern California, Information Sciences Institute)