Hammering Out IEDs—Detecting Explosives with Biologically Inspired Research

June 2009

Taking a cue from the electroreceptory organs of certain marine animals, MITRE's "Biologically Inspired Sensing" project is exploring the use of dielectric spectroscopy—the analysis of how electrical charge builds up and migrates through different materials—to detect explosive materials such as those used in IEDs.

Neuromorphic Computing: Teaching New Brains Old Tricks

May 2009

Designing computers that think like humans is difficult because computers and humans process information in fundamentally different ways. Researchers at MITRE and elsewhere are working to build computers with brain-like properties by creating new kinds of algorithms and microprocessors that replicate the features of biological brain circuits.

Nanopower: Big Energy for Tiny Systems

May 2009

As the increased capabilities and decreased sizes of electronic devices demand more and more from their strained power systems, new technologies must be found to increase their power and energy capacities. MITRE and researchers worldwide are using nanotechnology to provide that boost.

TCAS: A Second Set of Eyes for Pilots

June 2009

TCAS, the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System, has helped keep commercial and military aviation safe since 1990. Today MITRE is working to help TCAS evolve as the new airborne surveillance procedures and applications required by NextGen become operational.

Clear Skies for NextGen

June 2009

MITRE is working with the FAA to generate new concepts, develop new standards, and find new solutions to evolve and improve our national airspace system. These new concepts, standards, and solutions are known collectively as the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen.

Fusing Aviation Data: A New Approach to Keeping Skies Safer

April 2009

For the first time, airline black box flight data and pilot reports are being collected from 13 airlines and put into a single repository for safety analysis. MITRE is collecting the data for the FAA's initiative called Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing, or ASIAS.

Instant Two-way Translation Helps Soldiers in the Field

May 2009

Using human interpreters to translate English into Arabic in Iraq is cumbersome, but with MITRE's TRANSTAC system, speech recognition and machine translation technology make the job a lot easier.

With Better Information, Unmanned Systems Steer Clear of Bad Weather

April 2009

Until recently, pilots who remotely fly Predator and Reaper unmanned aircraft have had trouble avoiding bad weather that can damage their aircraft. Being 7,000 miles away, the pilots can't see the weather around their aircraft. With a MITRE-developed weather information service, pilots now use forecast overlays on their displays to avoid thunderstorms and other turbulence.

Targeting the 25 Most Dangerous Programming Errors

February 2009

A programmer's mistake at the keyboard can introduce a coding error that allows hackers to slip through a computer's defenses. Now, a new list of the Top 25 most dangerous programming errors from MITRE's Common Weakness Enumeration program aims to help government and industry avoid costly and harmful security breaches.

Many Happy Returns: Gaining Converts to e-File

March 2009

Congress wants at least 80 percent of all taxpayers to file their taxes over the Internet—a process known as e-filing. Convincing the skeptical taxpayer to file electronically involves much more than technology, but MITRE and its IRS partners are on track to do just that.

Private Eyes: Keeping Personal Information Safe

November 2008

So much of our lives can be found online these days. That's why MITRE's fast-growing privacy practice is helping the federal government keep your personal information safe.

Building Collective Strength: Transforming Military Medical Education and Training

November 2008

Consolidating five military medical training schools into one is no small task. MITRE's systems engineering expertise is helping ensure a smooth transition.