RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – A new report spells out specific recommendations for how North Carolina can capitalize on new and emerging technology needs for the U.S. military.
Specific technology areas include:
a. Advanced manufacturing—Create an additive manufacturing (AM) materialscharacterization database and membership organization, identify or attract pre-and post-processing services, develop a catalog of AM providers, and build awareness for rural tool/die and contract manufacturing companies on AM opportunities. Consider establishment of a ground vehicles center of excellence using the AM expertise of
North Carolina’s motorsports industry.
Study: North Carolina a hotbed for military technology needs
b. Autonomous systems—Leverage AERPAW (drone program at NCSU) and other testing platforms to attract teams proposing to the DoD, use the Drone Summit to attract funders and relevant companies to network, match artificial intelligence companies with transportation companies and with decision-support software companies in the state to pursue autonomous systems opportunities.
c. Data and knowledge management—Provide broadband infrastructure to enable companies working in the digital space to connect with customers, make available specialized infrastructure (e.g., Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility) to work in secure spaces, and develop cybersecurity resources and service providers to assist companies working in defense.
d. Human performance—Leverage the North Carolina Biotechnology Center as the hub of human performance activities and broaden from there, embrace North Carolina’s human health innovation ecosystem to address warfighter performance needs, and work with virtual reality labs and interested gaming companies to develop warfighter training applications.
e. Materials—Focus on functional fabrics and nanomaterials and identify DoD needs and funding for applications such as heating/cooling, communications, and color-changing clothing and materials.
f. Power—Partner power electronics companies with those developing applications for the DoD to take advantage of the lightweight and increased power capacity for the military; provide access to high-voltage R&D facilities for these companies; and leverage the industry and research connections of Power America, the North Carolina Cleantech Cluster, and the University of North Carolina–Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center.
