Newswise — It takes miniscule interdependent technologies to keep today's electronically-dependent society communicating and exploring.
Inside the University of Idaho's Microelectronics Research and Communications Institute, clusters of researchers conduct studies in microelectronics, nanodevices, real-time software, electromagnetics, avionics, intelligent controls systems, computer security, intrusion detection and autonomous vehicles.
The outcomes are new or higher-performing devices and tools for government and industry, such as Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, Iomega, Micron, NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Science Foundation, military and defense industries.
The institute conducts about $4 million in research projects annually, more activity than most university institutes its size. Under the direction of Touraj Assefi, it has grown to this level from a $50,000-a-year research operation nine years ago.
Before coming to UI, Assefi was one of the chief engineers on the Galileo Mission from the avionics division at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, division manager of avionics at Boeing, and eventually president of a subsidiary that was absorbed by Lockheed. He now applies his industry knowledge to bring synergy to the MRCI.
"My goal is to empower researchers and labs to work together, collaborate with other agencies and leverage funding to do greater work," said Assefi, who seeks to create a self-sustaining operation that doesn't rely on any one person.
The director choreographs the work of UI faculty members Richard Wells, Dean Edwards, Jeffrey Young, Herb Hess, Dave McIlroy, Eric Aston, Michael Anderson, Leah Bergman, Jim Alves-Foss, Deborah Frincke, Yang-Ki Hong and their teams within the institute's centers for intelligent systems research, secure and dependable systems, and microelectronics and signal processing.
"Where we have holes, we engage other interdisciplinary experts, centers and faculty members at nearby Washington State University and other institutions," says Assefi.
Examples of current MRCI projects:
· Fleets of autonomous vehicles, capable of unmanned and synchronized navigation on land, in the air, on and under the sea. Dean Edwards, Michael Anderson and Richard Wall team up to refine communication between numerous beach crawlers, underwater torpedo-shaped vehicles and aircraft that work together for surveillance, mine sweeping and other security and data-gathering maneuvers. Private and public partners and Office of Naval Research fund this.
· A superior battery for the Office of Naval Research. This advanced lead acid battery for hybrid electric military vehicles could produce almost twice the energy and last twice as long as present batteries in extreme situations. Edwards and other chemistry and engineering faculty have found that additives improve the batteries' conductivity and mechanical compression extends their lives and performance.
· An artificial neuron that actually learns. When bundled, these neurons may form networks to one day perform tasks beyond human capabilities, such as dangerous military tactics, automated traffic and emergency dispatching, smart cars and eventually bio-medical applications and prosthetics. Richard Wells team's "biomimic artificial neuron" is the basic building block for machines that learn on their own, without the need of programming. This type of "neurocomputer" deals with uncertainty, the missing function of traditional programmed integrated circuitry.
· Higher quality printers and imagers. MRCI's laser electrophotography program, funded by the Hewlett-Packard Co. and directed by Wells, creates neural network algorithms for computer-aided-design of laser printers, which will vastly improve the quality of printers. The team also studies the affects of humidity and temperature on print quality, and assesses page yields. Its work was presented Oct. 7 at a "tech fair" at H-P in Boise, which draws hundreds of H-P engineers and managers.
Wideband microwave and millimeter-wave ferrite devices.
The Advanced Microwave Ferrite Research program, funded by ONR and supervised by Prof. Jeffrey Young, designs and fabricates magnetic ferrite (iron oxide) film deposition and devices for electronics. The project will create wideband, high-frequency ferrite devices on a single, multi-function "system-on-a-chip," to handle large streams of informational data. It is applicable for military radar and communications equipment. This program is receiving national attention for the ferrite materials, models and devices it creates.
· Secure technology for avionics and high assurance computing systems for next generation military and commercial aircraft. Jim Alves-Foss, Paul Oman and Scott Harrison have teamed up with AFRL, DARPA, Lockheed-Martin, Rockwell Collins and NSA to develop a new software architecture, "MILS," for high-assurance embedded systems. They have developed innovative mathematical models, advanced systems components and state-of-the-art verification and validation processes, which will greatly reduce the time and cost to design and build new aircraft computer systems that are secure against malicious cyber threats.
Besides research, MRCI is a learning laboratory for students to gain firsthand experience in the world of technology development and its transfer to society. Paid internships, summer experiences, team presentations and patent processes are among their opportunities.
"The university's goal for its six premier research institutes is to prepare tomorrow's workforce for Idaho's science and technology industries," said Charles Hatch, vice president for research. "The MRCI and the College of Engineering faculty are providing rich experiences for UI students and developing new microelectronic technologies for business, industry and government."
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