The Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (ECBC) recently joined with technology developers from private industry and other Army and joint organizations to test a new integrated system of chemical and biological agent sensors. These systems were tested against a variety of simulant agents to see if the sensors could correctly identify them.
Global health engagement is an important security cooperation tool, building relationships and improving interoperability with partner nations around the world. Senior leaders and experts from across the Military Health System (MHS) came together to discuss the topic during a session at the annual MHS Research Symposium on 16 August.
A specialized drug screen test using laboratory-grown human cells has revealed two classes of compounds already in the pharmaceutical arsenal that may work against mosquito-borne Zika virus infections, scientists say. Some 6,000 existing compounds currently in late-stage clinical trials or already approved for human use for other conditions were screened as Zika treatment options.
A Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program aimed at preventing attacks involving radiological "dirty bombs" and other nuclear threats has developed and demonstrated a network of smartphone-sized mobile devices that can detect traces of radioactive materials. Combined with larger detectors, these networked devices significantly enhance awareness of radiation sources.
A new study conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides guidance for building designers, facility managers, safety officers, emergency personnel, and others tasked with developing and implementing emergency evacuation procedures for people with mobility impairments from multistory buildings.
The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate recognizes the struggle for wildland firefighters as they try to achieve a balance of personal protective clothing and heat safety. A major concern for developing new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the need to increase the protection, safety, and comfort for wildland firefighters while lowering the danger of heat exhaustion.
As the number of patients with Zika virus grows worldwide, Johns Hopkins Medicine announced the opening of the new Johns Hopkins Wilmer Zika Center dedicated primarily to caring for patients with the mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted virus. The center is composed of providers and staff from departments and divisions at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health.
As responses to security threats evolve, terrorists use different materials to develop homemade explosives. Many of the chemicals used in explosive devices are highly sensitive and dangerously unstable. This makes it difficult for law enforcement to train bomb sniffing K-9s on detecting these compounds; the Center of Excellence for Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT) fills this gap.
To demonstrate improvements to emergency communications and foster research on systems that can be quickly placed in strategic locations, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has worked with industry partners to integrate commercial technologies into a mobile wireless communications system.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) awarded approximately $3.7 million to six universities to support transitioning the "ShakeAlert" earthquake early warning system into production. An earthquake early warning system can give people a precious few seconds to stop what they are doing and take protective actions before the severe shaking waves from an earthquake arrive.
