BAE Systems
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Swedish armored vehicles get F1-inspired active suspension
BAE Systems recently announced that it has adapted the active damping suspension originally made for F1 cars to a Swedish Combat Vehicle, the CV90. This is reportedly the first system of its kind for a tracked vehicle, although BAE has been working on it for a few years. Unlike conventional, passive suspensions that simply absorb the shock of a bump or divot in the road as it occurs, active suspensions calculate vehicle speed against upcoming terrain to selectively tighten the suspension and keep the vehicle level. This eliminates both body roll and pitch acceleration as well as translates into a higher top speed since all four wheels (or in this case, both tracks) stay in firm contact with the ground. It works well enough for the CV90 to set a speed record on a "rough terrain course", and for F1 to have banned the tech in 1993, although it may make a comeback.
Engineers develop damage-detecting 'skin' for airplanes
Modern aircraft require lots of ground checks to ensure they're safe to fly, but researchers at BAE Systems believe they've found new hi-tech way to minimize that down time. Using tens of thousands of micro-sensors, the aerospace giant has developed a new type of "smart skin" that can detect damage and report back health statistics to its operator. BAE says the experimental coating might sense wind speed, temperature, movement and strain in the same way that human skin detects and sends impulses back to the brain, reducing the need for personnel to make physical inspections on the ground. On top of that, maintenance crews could also replace parts before they become unsafe or inefficient. While its new smart skin is still very much in development, BAE reckons it can shrink its self-powered sensors down to the size of a grain of rice and then spray them onto new or existing aircraft like paint. Planes with feelings, it appears, won't just be limited to animated Disney films.
BAE Systems speaks about unmanned ASTRAEA: no reason it can't stay in air 'for weeks'
BAE Systems' ASTRAEA isn't a new concept -- the company's been playing up its unmanned potential for quite some time now -- but it's all seeming entirely less pie-in-the-sky now that the Farnborough Airshow has kicked off. Typically, UAVs are thought to be smaller, drone-type apparatuses; these things are typically used in military exercises where remote gunfire or reconnaissance is required. Clearly, it's about time someone asked the obvious: "Why?" Lambert Dopping-Hepenstal, Engineering Director Systems and Strategy, Military Air and Information at BAE and ASTRAEA Program Director recently spoke at the aforesaid event, noting that this particular aircraft could "open up a new market." He continued: "Current search and rescue aircraft are limited by human endurance, however with a UAV there's no reason why they can't stay up for weeks." Sadly, he also affirmed that there aren't any plans to ship actual humans up in the air without a pilot onboard, but if you're rich and mettlesome enough to pull it off yourself... well, be sure to send us the video. Also, Godspeed.
BAE Systems designs hard composite solar cells: could act as structure of UAVs, piece of soldier's gear
BAE Systems revealed that it's working on hardy, high-capacity solar cells that could power unmanned vehicles and even attach to an individual soldier's gear. According to Darren Buckle, a manager from BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Center, the cells are geared toward smaller, often airborne, military units, where weight is at a premium. The system, still in the development stage, could offer up power for heavy endurance unmanned air vehicles, provided the cells are made sensitive enough to absorb energy in less sunny situations -- something that the company's England-based engineers are currently contending with.
BAE Systems' NAVSOP does positioning without GPS, makes sure the only jammin' going on is yours
Just in case GPS and GLONASS didn't make for enough of an acronym soup, BAE Systems wants to add one more to the navigation broth. NAVSOP (Navigation via Signals of Opportunity) uses some of the basic concepts we know from cell tower triangulation and WiFi location-finding to lock down a position, but goes much further to geolocate from nearly anything that pushes out a signal, such as nearby radios and TVs. It doesn't even need to know what kind of signal it's looking at, and it can get its position in places there's no GPS to work from, whether it's in an urban canyon or the natural kind. BAE is most excited about the prospects of ending GPS jamming against soldiers and UAVs, once and for all: not only is the new technology mostly impervious to attempts to block its signal, it can use the jamming attempt itself to get the position fix. Thankfully, the company's roots in defense aren't precluding use for civilians, so there's a chance that future smartphones might never have to use guesswork to get their bearings -- provided that governments around the world sign off on the idea, that is.
Navy test-fires weaponized railgun with explosive results (video)
You're about to watch a test firing of BAE's experimental railgun demonstrating why the technology isn't science fiction anymore. Load an aluminum projectile into the 12-meter barrel and one million amps will hypersonically propel it toward the target. The conflagration you'll witness is due to the metal slug burning off in the charged air. In April, General Atomics will supply its own prototype so the military can identify which one is closer to making its way aboard the battleships of the 2020's. Anyway, now you can go watch the video fully aware of what's going on, try not to sit there with your mouth open.
Oxford researchers show off autonomous Wildcat vehicle, no GPS required
BAE Systems has spent years developing an autonomous vehicle based on the rather menacing Bowler Wildcat, but it recently turned the project over to Oxford University, which is now showing off some of the improvements that its researchers have made. Chief among those are a new array of sensors adorning the vehicle, which promise to let it more accurately map out its surroundings and navigate without relying on GPS -- that not only includes monitoring the road (or lack of road, as the case may be), but keeping an eye on traffic patterns and changing conditions, and watching for pedestrians and other obstacles. That's the same basic idea seen from the likes of Google's self-driving cars, of course, although we're pretty sure this could drive over one of those if it wanted to. Head on past the break for some videos showing off the vehicle's capabilities, and hit the source link below for a few more.
BAE's infrared invisibility cloak makes tanks cold as ice, warm as cows
Warfare's constantly evolving. Daylight battles became late-night duels, and pre-noon skirmishes shifted to sundown slaughters -- some might say we're just getting lazy, but either way, thermal imaging now plays quite the vital role. Now BAE and the FMV -- Sweden's equivalent to DARPA -- have a way to mask the heat signature of heavy machinery. Adaptiv is a wall of 14 centimeter panels that monitor the ambient heat and match it, so it can't be picked out from the background radiation. The tech can also be used to replicate the profiles of other things -- you know, like a spotted calf or a Fiat 500. BAE believes the tech is scaleable for buildings and warships, the only downside being that all future commanders will have to make sure their operations are finished before dawn. Wouldn't want your soldiers to see that five o'clock (AM) shadow, now would we? [Thanks, Rob]
BAE Systems develops e-ink camo for tanks and war zone e-readers
BAE Systems, long known for its wargadgets that blind and obfuscate, has recently announced that it is developing an e-ink camouflage system that displays images on the side of a vehicle which reflect the environment -- and which change in real time. This is well-suited for areas such as those found in Afghanistan, where terrain can vary from plain ol' desert beige to a lively and vibrant green, and -- provided it doesn't break down in the desert sand -- probably seems a lot more convincing than paint on metal. (We also wonder if this technology will work on cocktail dresses.) The company hopes to have a prototype within four years, while for our part we hope to have our troops out of the region in much less time than that.
BAE's lasers blind high seas pirates, have no effect on Ice Pirates
BAE Systems has had its hands in some pretty crazy research in the past, from Bug Bots to invisibility cloak development and more. But as this next item has implications for our planned dystopian gadget community on the high seas (think Waterworld-meets-The Engadget Show), we took notice tout de suite. Being marketed as a non-lethal deterrent to pirates, the heart of the ship-based system is a Nd:YAG laser that can be used to warn off attackers over half a mile away -- and disorient them at closer ranges. "The effect is similar to when a fighter pilot attacks from the direction of the sun," said BAE's Roy Evans. "The glare from the laser is intense enough to make it impossible to aim weapons like AK47s or RPGs, but doesn't have a permanent effect." Wild, huh? Check out the PR after the break for the complete low-down.
DARPA awards BAE $8.4 million for BLADE wireless jamming initiative
DARPA's new BLADE initiative doesn't involve a blood sucking Wesley Snipes in a black leather trench coat, but we still think it's pretty awesome. This BLADE stands for Behavioral Learning for Adaptive Electronic Warfare, and is focused on developing a system of algorithms that will automatically jam threatening wireless communications on the battlefield. DARPA gave $8.4 million to BAE Systems to implement the project, which will detect, analyze, and counter wireless communications, without human involvement. BLADE would also allow troops to overcome enemy counter-jamming measures and prevent the use of remotely controlled IEDs. The system is broken up into three central components: detection and characterization, jam waveform optimization, and battle damage assessment. DARPA expects BLADE software to be easily integrated into existing electronic warfare equipment, and should be ready for use in 2012 -- still no word on a comeback for Mr. Snipes.
UK defense firm pumps data through solid submarine walls
Wireless power may still be on the drawing board, but wireless data is here today, and a UK defense contractor has figured out a way to pipe the latter through several inches of steel. Using a pair of piezoelectric transducers on either side of a watertight submarine compartment, BAE's "Through Hull Data Link" sends and receives an acoustic wave capable of 15MHz data rates, enough to transmit video by essentially hammering ever-so-slightly on the walls. BAE impressed submarine commanders by streaming Das Boot right through their three-inch hulls, and while metadrama is obviously the killer app here, the company claims it will also save millions by replacing the worrisome wiring that's physically routed via holes in a submarine's frame. See the company's full US patent application at our more coverage link.
Shear-thickening liquid hardens upon impact, makes for lighter and more effective body armor
Scientists at BAE Systems in Bristol, UK have come up with a "shear-thickening" (or dilatant) liquid that can be combined with Kevlar to create a new, more powerful bullet-proof material. Similar to the "body armor" used by some Olympic skiers, shear-thickening material acts as a lubricant at low velocities, but quickly hardens upon impact. The scientists describe it as "bullet-proof custard," which shouldn't make us hungry but is for some reason. According to the company, recent tests in which a large gas gun fired metal projectiles at over 300 meters / second into both thirty-one layers of untreated kevlar and ten layers of kevlar combined with the liquid have determined that the liquid armor could be used to effectively protect soldiers from bullets and shrapnel.
Purdue researchers concoct new invisibility cloak, plan Walmart debut
Hate to say it, but we're beyond the point of hope here. We just won't ever, ever see a real-deal invisibility cloak during our relatively brief stint on Earth. That said, researchers at Purdue University are doing their best to prove us wrong, recently developing a new approach to cloaking that is supposedly "simple to manufacture." Unlike traditional invisibility cloaks, which rely on exotic metamaterials that demand complex nanofabrication, this version utilizes a far simpler design based on a tapered optical waveguide. A report from the institution asserts that the team was able to "cloak an area 100 times larger than the wavelengths of light shined by a laser into the device," but for obvious reasons, it's impossible to actually show us it happened. Regardless, for the sake of the kiddos above, we're hoping this stuff gets commercialized, and soon.[Via Digg, Image courtesy of Thomas Ricker (yes, that Thomas Ricker)]
British border guards recruit robots to root out stowaways
It looks like attempts to sneak across the border into Britain could soon become a battle of humans versus the machines, as the country's border guards have now recruited some robots normally used in warzones to help root out folks trying to smuggle themselves into the country. Developed by BAE Systems, the so-called "Hero" bots are equipped with searchlights and high-resolution video cameras that let it search the inside and undersides of vehicles, and they could potentially be outfitted with heartbeat detectors as well, or even sensors to detect chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear materials being smuggled into the country. While it's apparently only been tested in one location so far, the Border Agency seems to be all but sold on the bot, and it's now looking at rolling 'em out to other locations in the country. No word if they have any plans to employ BAE's spider bots, though.[Via Danger Room, image courtesy of BAE Systems]
Bug-bot video reveals swarming drones, extreme rocking
We know that you love swarming bug-bots as much as we do, so of course we were thrilled to tell you about BAE Systems' MAST project the other day. Luckily, the Army-contracted company didn't stop at mere photos to scare the living daylights out of humanity, they also created a really cheesy, yet deeply frightening video to go along with them. Enjoy a glimpse of the Skynet-controlled / shredding-guitar future of warfare after the break -- and don't say we didn't warn you.
BAE Systems working on spider-bots, other ways to scare you to death
Do you enjoy gangs of tiny, spider-like robot insectoids swarming all over your house, car, or personage? If you answered "yes," you're going to love what BAE Systems is cooking up. The company recently received an infusion of $38 million from the US Army Research Lab to fund the Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology (MAST) consortium; a team of scientists and researchers hell-bent on developing an "autonomous, multifunctional collection of miniature intelligence-gathering robots that can operate in places too inaccessible or dangerous for humans." Sure, that description (and accompanying photos, straight from BAE) does give you the impression that whoever came up with this really liked Minority Report, but won't it make you feel safer at night knowing a swarm of metallic spiders are looking out for you? No? Huh, weird.[Via The Register]
Talisman M UUV is a mine killer
From robots working in deep space to unmanned underwater vehicles patrolling the deep blue sea: military and aerospace contractor BAE Systems has just announced its latest aquatic bot, the Talisman M, which is capable of locating and killing mines without any operator intervention. The size of a small car, Talisman can operate at depths as low as 150 meters and turn a full 360 degrees thanks to its vectorable thrust pods; although it can be controlled from on board a ship, the M is just as happy wandering around on its own and bringing the pain with its so-called 'Archerfish Single Shot Mine Neutraliser.' Best of all, the British-based BAE engineers have added a little something extra in light of current events: the task-minded UUV will emit a heartfelt apology if it's ever caught encroaching on sovereign Iranian waters.[Via The Register]
Researchers develop sticky gecko-like material
Researchers at BAE Systems' Advanced Technology Centre in Bristol seem to have take a cue from Q's play book, developing a new synthetic material that could be used to create special wall-climbing suits for soldiers and spies. The material is designed to mimic a gecko's foot, which is covered with hairs so small that they form a bond with just about anything they touch, but can still be easily peeled off. In addition to human super-hero antics, the researchers say the material could also be used for wall-climbing robots. But the Brits aren't the only geeks that have turned to geckos for inspiration. As you may remember, some peeps at Stanford recently managed to not only replicate a gecko's sticky feet, but create a full-fledged geckobot.
