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Two new bidirectional search algorithms
No full textThis paper presents two new bidirectional heuristic search algorithms for solving the shortest path problem on graphs: consistent-heuristic bucket-based bidirectional search (CBBS) and front-to-front GPU bidirectional search (FFGBS). CBBS uses a consistent heuristic and groups nodes into buckets that organize nodes based on estimated path cost and known heuristic errors. FFGBS splits the work between the CPU and GPU, with the GPU solving a front-to-front heuristic and the CPU choosing nodes to expand. This paper also includes a new front-to-front version of the GAP heuristic for the pancake problem that is efficient to solve on a GPU. Computational experiments for CBBS are performed on the pancake problem. CBBS is faster and requires less node expansions with the GAP-1 heuristic, compared to bidirectional state of the algorithms like DIBBS and DVCBS. Computational experiments for FFGBS are performed on the pancake problem and DIMACS road network, showing that FFGBS is consistently the fastest algorithm on all but the smallest pancake stacks when using the GAP-2 heuristic and is also the fastest algorithm on the largest road networks
Jack Voltaic 3.0 Cyber Research Report Executive Summary
Get PDFThis condensed Executive summary provides an overview of the information contained in the full JV 3.0 Cyber Research Report
Risk Evaluation of Ballistic Penetration by Small Caliber Ammunition of Live-Fire Shoot House Facilities with Comparison to Numerical and Experimental Results
No full textThe development of advanced small caliber weapon systems has resulted in rounds with more material penetration capabilities. The increased capabilities may mean that existing live-fire facilities will no longer be adequate for the training and certification of military and law enforcement personnel. Constraints on training in many live-fire shoot house facilities are already in place, with some allowing only single round impact during training. With little understanding of the probability of perforation, or failure, of existing containment systems, this study evaluates risk by studying the single round impact of small caliber ammunition against live-fire shoot house containment systems constructed from AR500 steel panels with two-inch ballistic rubber covering. An analytical and numerical study was conducted using an existing model for steel penetration developed by Alekseevskii-Tate and the EPIC finite element code. A modified form of the advancing cavity model for the ballistic resistance of the target material was used to account for the relatively unconfined material resulting from the studied impacts. These results are then compared to experimental tests conducted by Goodman for rounds of various small calibers impacting live-fire facility containment systems. Projectile and target characteristics were then modeled as continuous random variables, and Monte Carlo simulations were conducted using the validated analytical model to estimate the probability of a single round impact perforating the live-fire facility containment system. An importance sampling scheme was used to reduce the variance of the solution and provide a more accurate estimate of the probability of failure. The Alekseevskii-Tate model was found to provide accurate estimates of the depth of penetration when compared to experimental and numerical results at ordnance velocities and an estimate of the probability of failure is on the order of 1x10-5. This study provides useful tools for the analysis of existing live-fire facilities against future and existing ammunition, and for the design of new facilities. When coupled with Monte Carlo simulation techniques, a risk-based approach to certify live-fire facilities for use with any variety of small arms ammunition can be applied
Detecting and Localizing Objects on an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Integrated with a Mobile Device
No full textThere is a strong need for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that can navigate autonomously using visual information for GPS denied and other degraded environments. In this paper, a system architecture is proposed that utilizes visual-inertial odometry (VIO) and object recognition and localization for a quadrotor UAS. It also incorporates communication with an Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) device, allowing users to share situational awareness of the UAS in real-time. The system architecture is validated through experiments in which a human is detected and localized as the object of interest
ATAK Integration through ROS for Autonomous Air-Ground Team
No full textThis work introduces a methodology to interact with a heterogeneous team of autonomous robots performing a search and rescue mission. The autonomous robot team consists of a quadrotor and an unmanned ground vehicle. The robot team’s human interface is the Android Team AwarenessKit (ATAK), which both military and emergency management first responders have found useful. This work’s contribution is creating a platform-agnostic robot operating system (ROS) node used by the various autonomy stacks of each platform. This node is called atakbridge. In order to limit the need to modify the ATAK client applications, atakbridge leverages currently available standard messages within the ATAK framework. This eliminated the need for any specific ATAK plugin. A robot using atakbridge shares its location and the locations ofany objects of interest it detects to a user’s ATAK device. Using the same ATAK device, the user can send waypoints to the robot, which the atakbridge interprets into appropriate autonomy stack representations. We demonstrate the feasibility of integrating ATAK, using atakbridge, into an air-ground team of autonomous robots for a search and rescue mission. The first responder sends the aerial platform to search an area and relays to the ATAK user any possible victims’ locations. Upon receiving these locations, a first responder can dispatch an autonomous ground vehicle to confirm a victim and deliver food, water, and a first aid kit
Factors Influencing Dietary Supplements Use Among NCAA Athletes at a United States Service Academy
No full textPURPOSE: To identify the key factors that influence the decision to purchase dietary supplements among NCAA athletes at a United States Service Academy.
As anticipated, “free of banned substances” was the most important factor influencing supplement purchasing decisions among the NCAA athletes. Unanticipated and contradictory to previous research were the findings regarding the limited influence of social media on dietary supplement purchasing decisions among this demographic (18-24 years old). These findings indicate that the participants are performing due diligence regarding dietary supplement purchases and utilization
STEM Education Within the West Point Experience
Get PDFAt conferences or meetings, West Point faculty are often asked, “What’s it like to teach at West Point?” To answer this question we present the unique model that West Point uses to bridge traditional higher education and the United States Army. The West Point model stems from its mission to develop cadets as leaders of character who are prepared to be the future leaders of the U.S. Army. To fulfill the mission, cadets meet physical and military requirements, in addition to earning a Bachelor of Science degree. Here we discuss how the West Point student body, curriculum, and mission affect courses and opportunities in STEM
Improving Mission Assurance Assessments for Resilience of Military Installations
No full textIt is critical to improve the resilience of military installations and their complex infrastructure systems to strengthen response to the uncertainty and threat driven by the increasing frequency and severity of natural and human-made disasters. This research addresses a considerable gap in the existing Department of Defense (DOD) Mission Assurance Framework between the infrastructure assessment process and resilience considerations, and integrates a resilience matrix that converts qualitative assessment data into a quantifiable and interactive resilience decision support tool. The integration of the resilience matrix provides a quantitative visual tool to communicate the impact of decisions made using the tradespace analysis. This methodology provides a framework to improve the selection of projects that enhance the resilience of military infrastructure systems and assist decision makers in understanding how a single project may influence the resilience of multiple systems. The results of this research, which were built for a specific installation, are broadly applicable and can support engineers in the design and/or management of infrastructure systems to improve resilience in an efficient manner
Determination of Efficiency Losses in Entry Ignition Engines
No full textIn 2020, Cheeseman (SAE Paper 2020-01-1314) introduced Entry Ignition (EI) as a potential engine combustion process to rival traditional Spark Ignition (SI) and Compression Ignition (CI). The EI process premixes fuel with compressed air, which then enters a hot cylinder at top dead center, autoigniting upon entry. The original proposed concept for an engine separates the compression and expansion processes allowing for it to be modeled as a 2-stroke Brayton cycle. Theoretically, an EI engine allows for higher compression ratios than SI engines with less emissions than CI engines. However, the original EI engine analysis made several assumptions that merit further investigation. First, the original analysis did not look at the temperatures and pressures in the air/fuel mixing chamber to ensure that it does not autoignite prior to entering the cylinder. Second, the analysis did not account for the large amount of heat transfer associated with keeping half the end-gas in the cylinder. Third, the analysis neglected the losses caused by intake passageways and additional components. Our analysis corrects Cheeseman’s thermodynamic model to account for these changes to better identify a brake thermal efficiency for the EI cycle. Our analyses further identify other issues with the EI process to include frictional losses, operating at partial load, and emissions. With these corrections, the EI engine was found to perform with a similar or less efficiency than SI engines. Additionally, while it has the potential to reduce NOx emissions, the large quantity of residuals can result in an increase in CO emissions
Exploring the Causal Relationship between Factors Affecting US Army Recruitment
No full textEvery year, United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) dedicates considerable resources to recruiting and accessing soldiers. As the largest branch of the United States Armed Forces, the Army must meet a high recruiting quota while competing in the free-labor market for quality recruits. Over the past two decades, the Army’s success in recruiting ebbed and flowed within the broader context of society and global events. While numerous studies have examined the statistical relationship between factors associated with recruitment, these studies are observational and definitively ascribing causality in retrospect is difficult. With this in mind, we apply fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM), a graphical method of representing uncertainty in a dynamic system, to model and explore the complex causal relationships between factors. We conclude our paper with implications for USAREC’s efforts, as well as our model’s limitations and opportunities for future work