The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) gets a ton of funding to develop the science and technological future of the military.
This is the agency responsible for GPS, the internet and stealth planes. They're the real deal.
We looked at their active projects to find the ones that might have massive civilian implications if they eventually produce real-world tech.
The last few times we did this, we focused on the Defense Science Office, the Information Innovation Office and the Microsystems Technology Office. This time, we look at the Strategic Technologies Office, which is researching the weapons that will eventually define high-tech communications systems.
DARPA is more focused on biofuels than almost any other group
So far the federal government has shown that biofuel research is absolutely a political issue, suspect to wild sways in funding depending on who is in charge. Critics lambasted the biofuel program as speculative, implausible, and underdeveloped.
Conveniently, that's DARPA's specialty.
DARPA is researching the next phase of biofuel research. They're working with General Atomics and Logos Technologies to work on developing biofuels from algae and cellulose.
So far, they've made progress. They're aiming to develop a means of mass production, which could get difficult, but they're already making algae systems, ponds, fermented municipal solid waste (Yes, that's what you think it is), and alcohol into a gasoline equivalent.
A testing range, but for computers, not weapons.
The National Cyber Range is one of the cooler ideas that DARPA has come up with, even though it's conceptually somewhat simple.
Right now, it's not possible to replicate the complexity of a network of thousands and thousands of computers. There's (basically) only one internet. DARPA wants a testing range for cybersecurity solutions and offensive capabilities.
The idea is that, rather than merely releasing the test viruses onto the open web, this self contained network could be used to test the efficacy of defensive and offensive software. It should cut back significantly on the time spent testing new technologies.
One struggle is to make it so that a virulent piece of code can get on to the system without compromising the whole network.
Right now it's in beta testing.
The DARPA CORONET program takes a hard look at the future of the web
DARPA does an immense amount of research into Photonics, specifically fiber optics.
The CORONET program looks into ramping up internet speeds with the application of fiber optic cable technology as part of the core connecting hardware that makes up the physical "internet."
The idea is that a faster internet will expedite communications of military brass to forces on the ground. The civilian windfall, though, will be huge.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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