Private Capital Crucial for Defense Innovation DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
4/23/2021
iStock illustration
China and Russia’s technological investments and the uncertainty surrounding future applications have fundamentally altered the geopolitical environment.
This view, which has become a point of consensus in the United States, has also sparked another widely and correctly perceived imperative: the need for creating enduring public-private relationships between the Defense Department and defense-oriented companies.
If the nation is to address this burgeoning threat, the country must foster a culture of innovation and integration of various critical technologies into the military. Private investment and venture capital, which provide funding to companies making advancements within critical technology areas that are key to defense, play an integral part in this high-stakes competition for fielding innovative capabilities such as artificial intellige
University of Hawaiʻi
A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa-led innovation to aid in the fight against wildfires reached the finals of a national hackathon competition. Team leader Marc Ivan Manalac, a third-year computer engineering student, and three other college students in the U.S., created a plan for a long-range outdoor fire detecting system in just two weeks.
Manalac’s team was one of 10 finalists out of more than 450 entries in the “Beat the Blaze” competition hosted by the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN). Although his team did not win one of the three $15,000 top prizes, Manalac still hopes to apply for other funding opportunities to further develop the technology for use in Hawaiʻi.
Marc Ivan Manalac, a third-year computer engineering student, and three other college students in the
U.S., created a plan for a long-range outdoor fire detecting system in just two weeks.
Manalac’s team was one of 10 finalists out of more than 450 entries in the “Beat the Blaze” competition hosted by the National Security Innovation Network (
NSIN). Although his team did not win one of the three $15,000 top prizes, Manalac still hopes to apply for other funding opportunities to further develop the technology for use in Hawaiʻi.
Tech to combat wildfires
Wildfires are common in the
U.S., including Hawaiʻi, especially during the summer months in dry brush areas exposed to strong winds. The competition challenged participants to increase the information sharing capacity and capabilities between the National Guard and emergency response agencies during wildfire operations.
DoD Tackles Vehicle Cybersecurity at âMad Hacksâ CYBERSECURITY
4/20/2021
Illustration: Getty
The U.S. military relies on its fleet of vehicles to transport troops and gear across battlefields, but their importance could make them prime targets for cyberattacks in a future conflict.
To better cyber-harden vulnerable platforms, the National Security Innovation Network which works to attract new talent to solve defense challenges and is nestled under the Defense Innovation Unit recently held a virtual “hackathon” and pitch day called “Mad Hacks: Fury Code,” a play on the name of the famous
Mad Max: Fury Road movie.
NSIN worked alongside Army partners at the 1st Cavalry Division, Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Ground Vehicle Systems Center and the Next-Generation Combat Vehicles cross-functional team at Futures Command. Additionally, schools such as the University of California at Berkeley, University of Wa
DVIDS - News - Low-cost tech prepares Army for new threats dvidshub.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dvidshub.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.