DARPA Challenges Programmers to Develop Satellite Parts Retrieval Tech

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has challenged programmers to develop algorithms capable of gathering components from retired or non-working satellites that are still in orbit.

The Defense Department’s research arm said the Zero Robotics Autonomous Space Capture Challenge competition begins March 28 and will last for four weeks.

DARPA said programmers will work…

DARPA to Step Up Funds for Cyber Offense, Big Data R&D

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency plans to provide additional funds for research and development of offensive cyber capabilities, the agency’s deputy director said Feb. 29.

DARPA Deputy Director Ken Gabriel told a House Armed Services subcommittee that the agency plans to grow the current cyber capability R&D budget allocation over five years from eight…

DARPA Looking to Develop Human Illusion Tech

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency requested $4 million for a project to develop human deceptive technologies, Wired reports.

DARPA will investigate new technologies that can create illusions on the battlefield.

Wired reports DARPA hopes to better understand how the human brain processes sensory inputs and develop auditory and visual hallucinations to interfere with enemy actions.

This is not the first…

Xerox Subsidiary to Develop Govt. Tech Using Habit Info, Data to Find Insider Threat

Xerox subsidiary PARC will help the Defense Department identify internet threats before damage is done under a $3.5 million contract, Xerox announced Wednesday.

Under the two-year contract, PARC will partner with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop technology for finding insider threats.

PARC will work with DARPA on…

DARPA Designing Digital Imaging Contact Lenses

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency researchers are working on contact lenses that allow the wearer to view digital images in the lens, the agency said Tuesday.

DARPA said the contacts would project images onto full-color displays near the eye and enable the wearer to focus simultaneously on objects at either short or long distances….

DARPA Picks Rockwell Collins for Digital Radio Research

Rockwell Collins has started a new phase of research into analog-to-digital converters for radios under a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract.

In a post on FedBizOpps, DARPA said its RADER program is intended to develop power-efficient and high-speed photonic analog-to-digital-converters that can be operated remotely.

Rockwell Collins…

DARPA Looking to Tap Dormant Satellites for Communications System

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is looking to utilize dormant satellites floating in a geostationary orbit around Earth, the agency said in a  recent notice.

Through DARPA’s Phoenix Program, the agency said it wants contractors to develop a robotic system to “cooperatively harvest and re-use valuable components from” more than 1,300 retired, non-operating satellites.

DARPA estimates there is…

Into the Next Frontier: Drones to be Smaller, Better, Closer to Home

Drones have widely been used overseas in war and surveillance efforts, but now they could make an appearance closer to one’s house. 

Alastair Leithead of BBC, reported that while the U.S. has thousands of drones in use and spends billions in their development, it is still looking at ways to advance the drone race.

The “drone…

New Boeing-Built Army Drone Features 1.8 Gigapixel Camera

The U.S. Army recently announced it is preparing to deploy three Boeing-built A 160 Hummingbird drones in mid 2012.

According to the announcement, the Hummingbird significantly differs from its predecessors, as it is designed much like a helicopter and can perform vertical takeoffs/landings, and possesses hovering capabilities.

The drones will also be equipped with the 

NASA Gives Astronauts Remote-Controlled Assistants

A volleyball-sized, free-flying robot on the International Space Station helped astronauts complete tasks with a smartphone controller, according to a recent report by NASA. The first successful flight took place last month.

As part of NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions,…