Homeland Defense & Security Information Analysis Center
Global conflict and political instability have increased our nation’s military operations and deployments. Missions occur more frequently, in unpredictable environments, resulting in less time for soldiers to recover mentally and physically. Many active duty service members return from combat with symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Although research in these areas isRead More
Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter at an atomic level to produce new materials, referred to as engineered nanomaterials. Particles at this scale typically range in sizes from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm) in at least one dimension. A nm is one-billionth of a meter. To put this into perspective, DNA is 2 nm wide,Read More
A decades old electronics performance problem is re-emerging as the European Union enacted legislation removing the use of lead in electronics. In the 1940s, electronics were failing due to the formation of “tin whiskers,” which are filaments that can grow and cause interference and short-circuit failure. This report details the different methods researchers are takingRead More
New technology, relying on the non-specific absorption of chemicals on the surface of nanoparticles, could enable efficient decontamination of both water and soils. The biodegradable nanoparticles exploit the high surface-to-volume ratio intrinsic to their small diameter, and can be easily removed after use through photoinduced precipitation. This irremediable switching from nano-to macroscale allows limiting theRead More
Graphene is the thinnest substance capable of conducting electricity, but is also flexible and one of the strongest known materials. Because of these characteristics, scientists and engineers have dedicated years to adapting graphene to flexible electronics and other applications. Light weight, wearable electronics made from graphene are becoming more and more common and can helpRead More
Malaria is a devastating infectious mosquito-borne disease caused by single-celled parasites called Plasmodium that can live inside red blood cells. As the malaria parasite mutates, it is becoming resistant to even the most powerful antimalarial drugs, such as artemisinin. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis believe they may have found aRead More
As new biological threats emerge around the world, deployed personnel risk encountering these agents both on the battlefield and during peacetime. The current outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continues to cause unrest and confusion and thus remains a threat to U.S. forces.
Japan has worked for years to create a pair of glasses that will shield the wearer from discovery on facial recognition software. The first iteration of the “privacy visor” used near-infrared lights, which are visible to cameras but not humans. The new rendition of the facial un-recognition glasses does not use infrared lights, but reflectsRead More
If the nuclear industry is to live up to its immense potential and thrive in a post-Fukushima, post 9/11 world in which public concerns about safety and security are high and the cost of alternative energies is either low (natural gas) or rapidly decreasing (renewables), new plants must satisfy certain requirements. A new concept forRead More
When soldiers depart on long patrols, the gear they carry weighs up to 100lbs. Deployable communication devices such as radios, GPS and night-vision goggles require the use of batteries in order to function. Batteries, along with water, contribute to 60-90 percent of the weight a soldier carries. [1] Because of this, the Department of DefenseRead More
