WEST POINT, N.Y. (May 6, 2016) - The Department of Chemistry and Life Science introduced 400 cadets, primarily plebes enrolled in general chemistry, to innovative products and research from experts in Soldier-related technologies May 5-6. The cadets rotated throughout the two days in Bartlett Hall to various scientific demonstrations that have military applications.
The main purpose for the end-of-semester demonstrations and lectures is to fuse what cadets have learned in the classroom to what is happening with Soldiers in the real world.
"Cadets already have the course basis, but this is a way for them to talk to experts," Lt. Col. Melissa Eslinger, Department of Chemistry and Life Science assistant professor, said.
Experts from the U.S. Army Armament Research and Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) and the STEM Education Project Office at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, demonstrated technologies such as 3D printing, explosive innovation using cellulose, blast effect on vehicles, and gaming and simulation.
3D printing is basically reducing solids to the molecular level and combining them to produce physical properties similar to what would be done in traditional factories.
Creating antennas, electrical circuits, disposable medical supplies and micro-robots are just some of the capabilities of 3D printing.
"Cadets need to know that the technology is out there to increase their capabilities," Capt. Timothy Murphy, a Royal Canadian Mechanical Engineer Officer assigned to ARDEC, said. "They have to know about ARDEC, that they can reach out to us for support."
The Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Support Team from Scotia Air National Guard is a specialized team trained to respond to biological or chemical threats or accidents. The National Guard teams provide the expertise and capabilities to assist state governments in preparing for and responding to chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological incidents.
Citing a recent incident, Staff Sgt. Anthony Zegarelly, spoke about an Albany incident the team responded to help local authorities.
"The State Police responded to a report of a deceased body and found unknown chemicals in the home," Zegarelly said. "We had to determine what it was and if it had caused a death. Evidently, the guy was attempting to make his own steroids."
Combining art, gaming and concept application training for the military, the gaming and simulation demonstration with Michael Dokachev, computer engineer at ARDEC, demonstrated how gaming-type computer programs can be used with small drones that can be released in and around an area such as a bombing to get a 'bird's eye view' of what is going on.
Dokachev had cadets try a pair of Oculus Virtual Reality Goggles to demonstrate military training like bandaging wounds, or how to clear a building in an artificial climate. In the demonstration, cadets were seeing the inside of a tank.
"The video game America's Army application simulators was a recent tool we used to work on military training," Dokachev said.
ARDEC used the America's Army simulation to incorporate operations of robots to dispose of explosives and create virtual environments in tank operations.
Dokachev said that using virtual applications in an interactive way for training will eliminate hands on training. Soldiers will be handling weapons, securing areas and advancing on the enemy in a safe environment.
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