The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Draper Laboratories and DARPA have been working together to develop paddles for military use inspired by gecko's sticky digits. On DARPA's website, they explain that the Z-Man program aims to synthesize the biological capabilities of spiders and small animals in wearable gloves for humans. These gloves would allow military members to better respond to urban environments, eliminating the use for ropes, ladders or other climbing tools to escape potentially dangerous situations.
Geckskin™ development
The first product developed for the Z-Man program was Geckskin™, an adhesive surface designed and created by professors at UMass Amherst. For years, researchers have been fascinated by geckos' abilities to climb up vertical surfaces, even smooth surfaces such as glass. They discovered that these animals have stiff tendons in their toepads and tiny hairs covering their feet called setae that conform and grip different types of surfaces. Geckos are also able to disengage their foot from any surface without leaving a residue behind.
According to UMass Amherst's website, professors Al Crosby and Duncan J. Irschick successfully mimicked the properties of geckos' feet and developed a synthetic "skin" using inexpensive materials. An index sized piece of their synthetic foot pad can hold up to 700 pounds on a smooth surface once the van der Waals force is strong, which is responsible for the molecule-to-molecule attraction that allows geckos to hang from smooth surfaces by only one toe.
Current research
UMass Amherst developed Gecksin in 2012, but the technology is now being applied specifically with military benefits in mind by DARPA. They have enlisted Draper Laboratories in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to research the "Gecko Nanoadhesive" further.
In early June, DARPA showcased the latest Z-Man research that led to the development of hand-held paddles with polymer microstructure technology. A 218-pound man was able to ascend and descend 25 feet of vertical glass with 50 additional pounds attached to his body in one trial. This successful technology will hopefully make it easier for military members to overcome limitations of tight urban environments. The paddles would allow military members with full gear and additional loads to climb vertical surfaces, reducing the potential hazard that comes with using ropes and other materials that were previously used to scale the side of buildings.
"The gecko is one of the champion climbers in the Animal Kingdom, so it was natural for DARPA to look to it for inspiration in overcoming some of the maneuver challenges that U.S. forces face in urban environments," said Dr. Matt Goodman, the DARPA program manager for Z-Man, in a press release. "Like many of the capabilities that the Department of Defense pursues, we saw with vertical climbing that nature had long since evolved the means to efficiently achieve it."
Additional tests of the technology are ongoing, but the research shows that this technology could be revolutionary for urban combat environments when military members need to quickly escape dangerous situations.
Behind each serviceman and servicewoman is a support network of friends and family who play an important role in military life. One part of that support network is the sons and daughters that some soldiers have. As the Army celebrated its 239th birthday, children in military families were a part of the observation. The Army announced on Saturday that it would be releasing a children's eBook entitled, "Happy Birthday U.S. Army!"
The bright and whimsical book was written by Mary Ellen Pratt and co-written by Donna M. McGrath, both employees of Army Child, Youth and School Services. The book was written to help children understand the important job that their parents have and to encourage the idea of the Army family. It also gives kids a brief history of the army that is easy for them to understand. It touches upon veterans that are living their life after service, explaining to kids who have grandparents or other veteran relatives what army life was like for them.
Child, Youth and School Services, a division of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, developed the first version of the book in 2008, when the Secretary of the Army wanted to involve children in the Army's birthday, according to U.S. Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation. The creation of the eBook this year was a step toward making the book more available to families spread out across the globe. As military families live both across the United States and bases in other countries, the eBook allows the Army to reach out domestically and internationally.
The book is also a great tool for families to use as a guide. It provides suggested discussion points and could help parents talk to their kids about what it means to be in the Army.
The eBook is free to download at the Army Family and Morale website.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is partnering with the University of San Francisco and Massachusetts General Hospital to develop a technology that may reduce the severity of neuropsychological illness in service members and veterans, according to a recent DARPA report. The goal is to develop a neurological device, part of Systems-Based Neurotechnology for Emerging Therapies (SUBNETS), that would diminish symptoms of mental illness.
This new device was inspired by Medtronic's existing Deep Brain Stimulation technology. According to the firm, their DBS Therapy implanted device stimulates targeted areas of the brain with electrical pulses. This stimulation helps to control symptoms of psychiatric or movement disorders. Research for a similar device that would benefit veterans in particular was prompted by President Obama's brain initiative. This initiative provided DARPA with $50 million in funding for the new project.
The UCSF team is working on the development of the physical device that will use direct recording, stimulation, and therapeutic approaches to alter and eventually repair the neuron pathways responsible for symptoms of psychiatric or neurological diseases.
The team at Mass General Hospital will assess the symptoms neurological diseases such as increased anxiety, impaired recall or inappropriate responses to stimuli alongside detailed brain scans. This practice, a "trans-diagnostic" approach to assess patients, will hopefully identify the specific brain areas responsible for certain symptoms.
Hopefully, DARPA's research will ease the symptoms of neurological diseases experienced by some service members, as well as veterans in life after service. The program's goal – developing a brain implant that can read and then control patients' emotional responses – could help treat conditions such as depression, addiction and borderline personality disorder.
MIT Technology Review interviewed researchers directly involved with the developing technology.
"Imagine if I have an addiction to alcohol and I have a craving," said Jose Carmena, a professor involved in UCSF's research, to the Technology Review. "We could detect that feeling and then stimulate inside the brain to stop it from happening."
Unfortunately, veterans have a suicide rate three to four times greater than the average American, noted Justin Sanchez, manager of the DARPA program. According to Darin Dougherty, a psychiatrist involved in the Mass General Hospital research, fear from PTSD is generated in a part of the brain involved in emotional memories, but it can be repressed by another region. Ideally, this new device would be able to detect signals from the the source before they trigger a fear response. The device would then prevent a patient's physical or emotional response to external stimuli.
Though this technology is not intended for widespread use, if successful, it would drastically improve the livelihood of veterans who were previously unaffected by typical medications or treatment for psychological conditions.
Corporal Jeff DeYoung was reunited with his black Labrador retriever named Cena on Thursday, June 5th, after being apart for four years. Cena had been DeYoung's bomb-sniffing dog and partner in Afghanistan in 2009.
According to the New York Daily News, Cena is a skilled canine that can sniff out 300 different kinds of explosives and 1000 different scents.
Talented dogs like Cena play an important role in the safety of our soldiers, both physically and mentally. Soldiers often build a special bond with their dogs, relying on them not just to find bombs and for physical protection, but also for comfort and companionship as in everyday life.
"My main goal was to protect him," DeYoung told ABC news. "I remember we would get into firefights and having to cover myself on top of him so he wouldn't get harm[ed]. It was all about him."
When DeYoung left the military in 2010, Cena stayed behind to continue serving the country. DeYoung went on to get married and start a family but throughout his life after service, he always had Cena in the back of his mind. After four long years, he went through Mission K9 Rescue to adopt his friend. The heroic canine had served six years in the military and had a hip problem that prevented continued service.
Canines that serve next to their soldiers find a special place, not only in their soldier's heart, but also with the hearts of the soldier's family.
Salvador and Sandra Diaz lost their son Staff Sgt. Christopher Diaz in September of 2011, but have recently been approved to adopt his Belgian malinois, Dino.
Initially, their request to adopt the dog was denied, because he was a young dog that could still work for the Marines. However, a special law allows grieving families in unique situations to adopt a working military dog. Under this law, Dino was allowed to become part of the Diaz family.
Salvador Diaz was the one who put in the request to adopt Dino and had planned on adding him to the family. While adopting Dino does not fill the void that Diaz's death has left in the lives of his family, it will provide a connection to him.
"We know that he's not going to replace Christopher but what he'll do is give us a little something that Christopher loved, and that was the Marine Corps and that was Dino," he told KGTV-TV.
Team USA took on team Nigeria last week in a pre-World Cup match in Jacksonville, Florida. The U.S. Department of Defense press service reported that during halftime, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia honored veteran Samuel Muldrew, Purple Heart recipient and former Army Pvt. 1st Class from 1943 to '45. As the crowd cheered, Muldrew, 91, was awarded a large coin with the inscription "Proud member, United States Armed Forces" by Battaglia and Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. The current and former servicemen then saluted, kicking off the second half of the match.
The award was fittingly presented the day after D-Day, and the reminder of Muldrew's courageous service during the second world war drew a standing ovation from the 50,000 spectators in attendance. The display of American pride was followed by the players securing a win in the second half of the match, finishing 2-1 against Nigeria. This victory secures team USA's place in the FIFA World Cup competition in Brazil later this month.
The World Cup has historically been the most watched sport event across the globe with 715.1 million views of the 2006 final game, held in Germany. The U.S. has not yet won the cup, but so far this year they have a three-game winning streak. Team USA's first official game in the cup will be held June 16, 2014, against team Ghana, according to the official FIFA schedule.
On June 14th, the United States will celebrate the Army's 239th birthday. The Army announced that the theme of this year's celebrations will be "America's Army: Our Profession." With the anniversary come many celebrations to honor the Army's troops and veterans.
Events started Friday, June 8th with ceremonies across the United States.
In Washington D.C. at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Under Secretary of the Army, Brad Carson, gave a keynote speech honoring today's troops and comparing them with the "greatest generation," those who served during WWII. In his speech, Carson reflected on the past 239 years of the Army and its effect on the globe.
"Our beginnings in 1775 may have been humble, but even then and certainly ever since, our Army has influenced the nation and the world," he said.
The extent of the Army celebrations stretch across the U.S. and it's territories. According to Kuam news, Governor Eddie Calvo of Guam gave a special speech honoring the island's servicemen and servicewomen, acknowledging the Army's history on the island and in the Pacific. In a time-honored tradition, the island will host its own Army Birthday Ball on June 14th, along with Army bases across the country.
Even in the nation's capital, celebrations will cumulate on June 21st with the Army Birthday Ball in National Harbor, Maryland.
The 2014 Special Olympics took place in the District of Columbia this year from May 20-22. Military Day was held on the 21st, a day when servicemembers have the chance to volunteer and partner with competing athletes in a 400-meter relay. The teams combined two military personnel with two athletes, each wearing T-shirts designating their represented branch. At the conclusion of the race, team Army finished in first place, followed by the Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines and then the Navy.
After the relay, athletes competed in various track and field events, including classic disciplines such as shot put and the long jump, as well as events like the softball and tennis ball throw.
"All of the athletes really brought their A games today," said Command Sgt. Maj. David O. Turnbull, Army relay teammate. "This was a great opportunity to support these wonderful athletes and give them a chance to be a part of the team by representing a military service."
For military personnel, whether active members or those transitioning to life after service, Military Day is an opportunity to volunteer by partnering with intellectually disabled individuals for this 400-meter relay. The event is lighthearted and fun for everyone involved, though the military and federal employees help to heighten the competitive air of the event. The Special Olympics, founded in 1968, have showcased the fitness, courage and teamwork of participating individuals for many years. Participating in the Special Olympics program can improve the quality of life, health and life skills of intellectually disabled individuals, which stimulates academic and employment achievement.
"Overall, this is a very rewarding program as a volunteer or as someone participating in an event," said Turnbull. "All the service members and sprinters did an amazing job in the relay. It was great to see these athletes excel while [having] a great time."
Elite U.S. naval operatives see the Northwest region of the U.S. as providing an essential role for the military's expansion. According to Stars and Stripes, Adm. Harry Harris Jr. views the Northwest as a key site in future U.S. Naval endeavors.
Admiral thinks region absolutely essential
"The strategic value of the Northwest can't be overstated," said Harris, according to the source. "This is a huge center of gravity for the U.S. military. I think it's critical. That's why I'm taking time out of my schedule to come up and visit this area."
The U.S. government has sought a shift to the Pacific for numerous reasons. The most principal of these, according to Defense.gov, is that the Obama administration believes the U.S. is expending too much time and energy in other regions of the world. The source cites the Middle East as a region that the U.S. wants to incrementally withdraw from, establishing prerogatives and military benefits in other areas.
Buttress presence to placate animosity in region
The U.S. seeks to bolster its naval presence in the Pacific – Stars and Stripes reported that 52 percent of the Navy's surface ships are situated in the Pacific, a number slated to increase to 60 percent by 2020. The imbroglio's near the Pacific are what many see as the rationale for the planned increase in Naval resources.
China and Japan are currently in an bitter dispute over a set of islands, a clashing of dual rights that has raised tempers in the region. The U.S. recognizes the Japan's right to the islands, reflecting the alliance between the two countries who have reached a high-level of amity since WWII. Another reason for the shift to the Pacific is the fear that North Korea will continue to perform nuclear tests, menacing its democratic neighbor, South Korea.
"By now it is clear that the provocations, escalations and poor choices of North Korea's leaders are not only making their country less secure, they are condemning their people to a level of poverty that stands in stark contrast not only to South Korea, but every other country in East Asia," said former National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon, according to Defense.gov.
Stars and Stripes noted that other events have recently sparked the U.S' interest in the region, such as Vietnamese protesting directed at China and Thailand's declaration of martial law.
Battelle, the world's largest nonprofit research and development organization, is partnering with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory of Massachusetts, and Aegis Technologies of Virginia to develop an "Iron Man" military suit, a Battelle spokesperson recently confirmed. The concept for this Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, has been in the works for a few months. In September 2013, the U.S. Special Operations Command issued a special notice inviting related professionals to submit low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) demonstrations of their research. Those encouraged to participate may be involved with industry labs, academia, a part of a government lab or individuals pursuing related sciences in their life after service.
The USSOC had a few suggestions in mind for technological developers, including full-body ballistic armor protection, Situational Awareness (SA) technology, and a powered exoskeleton that would improve agility. The USSOC invited select respondents to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, in October.
The 2014 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference and exhibition held May 20-22 in Tampa showcased the new technologies Battelle has been developing for TALOS. Live Science news met with the vice president for the special operations market group at Battelle, John Folkerts.
"How do you protect against direct action engagement?" he asked. "To protect troops in combat, soldiers must have access to better armor, better protection and better communication."
Though the exact specifics of the suit are set to be released between 2016 and 2018 according to the source, there are some hints of brewing technological advances. NPR spoke with professors Norman Wagner from the University of Delaware and Gareth McKinley from MIT when the technology was in its first stages.
"We're starting with the material that's almost a liquid ceramic that transitions when you hit it hard," said Wagner. "These particles organize themselves quickly, locally in a way that they can't flow anymore and they become like a solid."
This means that the suit would provide better protection after being hit by a bullet, but McKinley wants to go further. NPR noted that he believes the suit could include attachable arm and leg frames that use hydraulics to improve soldiers' speed and agility. The USSOC also envisions that the suit would include a computer similar to Google Glass to enhance battlefield vision, updating soldiers on enemy whereabouts or even chemical presence. A comparable system for Google Glass called Tactical Augmented Reality software is already in the works by Battelle.
The U.S. is seeking to reduce terrorism in Africa by training military units in four African countries – Mali, Libya, Niger and Mauritania. According to The New York Times, the program is being financed by the Pentagon, and involves training that will occur under the tutelage of the Greet Berets and Delta Force – elite U.S. military units reputed to be among the best in the world. The army benefits to this program, according to the source, include diminishing the risk of terrorism in the region. An event such as Boko Haram's recent raid, which saw about 300 school girls being abducted, is an example of the type of event that African governments want to be able to prevent by developing military prowess.
Multifaceted task in training African militaries
"The host country has to have the political will to fight terrorism, not just the desire to build up an elite force that could be used for regime protection," said J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Center of the Atlantic Council, according to the source. "And the military has to be viewed well or at least neutrally by a country's population."
Many African countries have faced the menace of terrorism in recent years, with political circumstances unleashing potent forces that had previously been kept in check. For example, the overthrow of Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi fomented anarchy in areas in Libya, causing problems for the region. Related instances have caused difficulties for the training mission in Libya. The International Business Times reported that military equipment was recently stolen in Libya, creating a temporary impediments to training in the country.
The training is being undertaken to make Africa a safer place. Organizations contributing to violence include Islamist groups like Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and Al-Shabaab, a militant group linked to Al-Qaeda. The latter has been responsible for terrorism throughout Africa, including Somalia and Kenya.
"Training remains a critical part of our needs to further increase our men's readiness to face the many challenges of our regional environment," said Maman S. Sidikou Niger's ambassador to the U.S., according to The New York Times.
The instability reigning in many of these countries has precipitated America's training mission. Business Insider reported that Niger houses uranium reserves – the target of an Al-Qaeda attack in 2013. Meanwhile, Mauritania has allowed Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to reside within its borders, helping to foment unrest and terror.
Training reflects goals of the Obama administration
The International Business Times noted that the U.S. mission in African corresponds to the goals of the Obama administration. One of these is to help U.S. allies create formidable armies – forces that can work autonomously of the U.S. in the future. This allows the U.S. to shift its prerogatives, moving away from troop deployment to foreign countries in the hopes that indigenous forces can appropriately deal with terrorism and other problems.
"Training indigenous forces to go after threats in their own country is what we need to be doing," said Michael A. Sheehan, chair of the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, according to The International Business Times.
Life after service for many U.S. troops who have served in Africa will display a different approach to issues in the region – allowing the Obama administration the liberty to devise innovative ways to reduce terrorism. For example, Stars and Stripes reported that the U.S. has been using technology to diminish terrorism. This includes a surveillance aircraft based out of Niger, designed to help French troops combat militants in the region, according to the source.