The NE Hub focuses on two modernization technologies platforms or research thrusts:
These platforms/research thrusts are mapped onto the Hub's three core competencies, which include:
- Quantifying performance in extreme environments
- Complex systems and modeling
These platforms/research thrusts are mapped onto the Hub's three core competencies, which include:
- Integrated distributed infrastructure for accelerated data development and exploration
- Technology translation pipeline
- Workforce development
Focus is to assess structural and functional materials like metallic alloys and polymer-based composites during the extreme conditions
Thrust 1: Development of new thermoplastic composites
Anticipated projects include:
Thrust 2: Additively manufactured metal composites
Anticipated projects include:
- This can be achieved using probes like the use of high-flux, high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments
Thrust 1: Development of new thermoplastic composites
Anticipated projects include:
- Process optimization in the presence of fibers with an emphasis on 3D printing, including microextrusion and other approaches.
- First-of-a-kind in situ mechanical loading experiments on processed samples to extract fiber- and matrix-specific properties under extreme loading conditions to develop optimal composites for aerospace applications.
Thrust 2: Additively manufactured metal composites
Anticipated projects include:
- Evaluating mechanical response of AM components based on different metals and alloys.
- Mechanical response and its relation to (micro)structure and processing conditions to develop process/performance mapping of actual parts and system components.
Focus is to design projects that enable intelligent automation and optimal decision support for complex adaptive systems by creating novel capabilities for scalable learning of AI and ML models and policies that can achieve the desired operational goals under uncertainty.
Thrust 1: Optimal decision support and learning in complex uncertain systems
Anticipated projects include:
Thrust 2: Competence-aware AI for safe learning and autonomous decision-making
Anticipated projects include:
Thrust 1: Optimal decision support and learning in complex uncertain systems
Anticipated projects include:
- Assess diverse applications driven by defense mission needs, including modeling performance and operation of critical infrastructure, persistent cyber threats, and swarm control.
Thrust 2: Competence-aware AI for safe learning and autonomous decision-making
Anticipated projects include:
- Developing tools to build competence awareness in surrogate models and reinforcement learning agents that provide uncertainty estimates, point-wise reliability, and local interpretability for trustworthy and safe autonomy that can significantly reduce cognitive burden for pilots and system operators.
- Enabling learning that jointly improves model competence and characterizes the safety envelope of policies and controllers for robust system operation.
