THE SEARCH IS ON
Having come from industry and under- standing the challenges associated with entering “the process,” I know firsthand that the Army must proactively and aggressively engage with innovators to see what new ideas, concepts, systems and subsystem components they can bring to the table. Te next generation of enabling technologies required to achieve our modernization priorities may not currently exist—or they may, and not be apparent to the Army.
GOOD CHEMISTRY
Cornell University Chemistry Professor Peng Chen, left, principal investigator in Army research that resulted in the first real-time visualization of single polymer chain growth, and Dr. Susil Baral, postdoctoral research associate, look at data while Dr. Chunming Liu, right, postdoctoral research associate, adjusts the microscope stage. In an example of the Army’s collaboration with academia on technologies critical to battlefield success, scientists at Cornell, funded by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, researched new analytical techniques for probing polymer dynam- ics and how to manipulate those dynamics to control polymer microstructure. (Photo courtesy of Cornell University)
A four-phase competition, xTechSearch offers up to $1.95 million in prizes to discover innovative technology that will support the Army’s modernization prior- ities: long-range precision fires; Next Generation Combat Vehicle; Future Verti- cal Lift; the Army network; air and missile defense; and Soldier lethality.
the Army; 2.) integrating nontraditional innovators into the Army’s research and development ecosystem; and 3.) provid- ing mentorship and expertise to accelerate, mature and transition technologies of interest to the Army.
Our office has been rapidly developing and implementing new, innovative and exciting opportunities to work deliberately with small, nontraditional Army partners, with a specific focus on streamlining or even eliminating cumbersome admin- istrative barriers for Army engagement, developing mechanisms to work with the Army laboratories and test centers, and fostering transition to the Army program executive offices or organic industrial base. Trough these efforts, the Army can:
• Provide seed capital to accelerate tech- nology maturation.
• Provide access to collaborative research space at Army Open Campus locations across the country.
8 Army AL&T Magazine
• Facilitate partnership opportunities with Army laboratories and test centers.
• Provide mentorship to transition tech- nologies back to the government.
Tese innovative activities coalesce the collective expertise of entrepreneurs, tech- nologists and warfighters, all with a vision for making an impact on the defense of our nation.
Te first instantiation of this new concept is the Expeditionary Technology Search (xTechSearch), launched in June as a catalyst for the Army to engage with this promising business sector, driving American innovation for Army challenges and spurring economic growth. Aimed at attracting game-changing innovation, xTechSearch expands our sources beyond the traditional defense industrial base and provides access for pitching novel technology solutions directly to Army leadership.
CONCEPT, PITCHES, PROOF Phase I: Te concept white paper contest is where eligible contestants describe their novel technology concept and outline its integration with one of the Army’s modernization priorities. Tis phase was completed in July, and the response was encouraging. We accepted 349 white papers, with 129 related to Soldier lethal- ity; 25 addressing air and missile defense; 80 regarding the Army network; 39 for Future Vertical Lift; 51 related to the Next Generation Combat Vehicle, and 17 for long-range precision fires. In the category of “other,” eight papers were submitted that did not relate directly to a specified modernization priority. Tey may still be of value, offering a capability heretofore not militarily considered. Of the entrants, 125 winners received $1,000 each and an invitation to participate in Phase II.
Phase II: As many as 125 selected contes- tants will have the chance to compete in the xTechSearch technology pitches. Each contestant will complete an in-person
October-December 2018
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