Pulse2 Technology and Social Media News » U.S. Army

U.S. Army Launches An App Marketplace Prototype

Amit Chowdhry — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 14:49:47 +0000

The U.S. Army is launching their own Army app store. Today the Army announced a prototype of the Army Software Marketplace, which is a web-based app store that has 12 different training apps approved for Army-wide use. Currently this includes just iOS apps, but they are making apps for Android as well. This prototype is “a first step in establishing and exercising new submission and approval processes that will eventually enable Army members, organizations and third-party developers to release applications for Army-wide distribution.” [Engadget]

U.S. Army Files 22 Additional Charges Against Bradley Manning For Leaking WikiLeaks Cables

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:12:48 +0000

According to CBS, the U.S. Army has filed 22 additional charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning. Manning is the soldier that is suspected of providing government documents that was published on WikiLeaks. The new charges formally accuse Manning of aiding enemies.

The Army is accusing Manning of using unauthorized software on government computers for extracting classified data and illegally transmitting it for public release. The 22 new counts involve leaking war logs from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, aiding the enemy is a capital offense. But the Army will not recommend Manning for a death penalty. It is likely that he could face life imprisonment, reduction in rank to the lowest pay grade, a dishonorable discharge, and loss of all pay.

[CBS via Ars Technica]

U.S. Army Is Testing Out A Solar Powered Tent

Amit Chowdhry — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:30:26 +0000

The U.S. Army is testing out a new solar powered tent for soldiers. “They are ideal for charging up batteries, making sure your (communications), night vision goggles and computers are powered up. You don’t want a generator on top of a mountain, and you don’t want to have to bring fuel to a generator or haul batteries,” stated the Army assistant secretary Katherine Hammack. The TEMPER Fly is a 16×20 foot tent that is able to generate 800 watts of electricity. The QUADrant is a smaller version of the TEMPER Fly that can generate 200 watts of power. [DVICE]

The Army Wants Soldiers To Have An Android or iPhone

Amit Chowdhry — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:36:16 +0000

The Army is looking to have every soldier have access to a smartphone, whether it is an Android or an iPhone powered device. The Army also wants to pay for every soldier’s monthly bill too. Lt. Gen. Michael Vane, the director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center (ARCIC) is one of the individual’s pushing for the initiative.

“One of the options potentially is to make it a piece of equipment in a soldier’s clothing bag,” stated Vane. The Army is planning to launch Common Access Card readers for the iPhone in January and Android devices in April. This will give soldiers a secure way to access calendars, contacts, and e-mail.

The smartphones would also help soldiers monitor real-time intelligence and track friends and enemies on a dynamic map. “What we’re doing is fundamentally changing how soldiers access knowledge, information, training content and operational data,” stated director of the mission command complex of Future Force Integration Directorate at Fort Bliss Mike McCarthy. “The day you sign on to be a soldier, you will be accessing information and knowledge in garrison and in an operational environment in a seamless manner. We’re using smart phone technologies to lead this.”

[USA Today]

RIM Working With BMW and U.S. Army On Tablet Project

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:41:48 +0000

Research In Motion Limited (NASDAQ:RIMM) is working with BMW and the Army to develop a new tablet computer. RIM is working with BMW on the audio system and is using technology from the Army Crusher tank. RIM wants to really make their tablet computer stand out.

The tablet will run on an operating system created by QNX Software Systems. QNX is a computer that RIM bought from Harman International for $200 million this past April. The BlackBerry tablet computer is expected to be called the BlackPad.

The Crusher is an unmanned six-wheel vehicle that was developed at the National Robotics Engineering Center for the U.S. Army. It was built at Carnegie Mellon University. The Crusher tank uses QNX’s Neutrino software for navigation.

[Bloomberg]

U.S. Army Paying iRobot $35.3 Million For 486 iRobot PackBots

Amit Chowdhry — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:01:08 +0000

The U.S. Army has just given iRobot a lucrative contract. The Army will be paying iRobot $35.3 million for 486 PackBots (pictured after the jump). iRobot is usually best known for making automatic vacuum cleaners.

PackBot are good for searching out for dangerous areas so human soldiers do not have to. The order was made by the U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center in Warren, MI. The Army specifically ordered iRobot PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit robots. The robots weigh 53 lbs. and can run as fast as 5.8 MPH. The robots can last 4 hours per charge and are controlled by game-style controllers on a laptop.

Full press release after the jump.

BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — iRobot Corp. said Tuesday that it has received a $35.3 million order from the U.S. Army to deliver robots designed for military combat situations.

The U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center in Warren, Mich. ordered 486 iRobot PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit robots — machines that sport long mechanical arms and run on treads — for delivery before March 31.

These 53-pound robots are used to assess dangerous situations and clear a path for soldiers. For instance, it is used in Iraq and Afghanistan to investigate suspicious-looking packages by the road side that might be improvised bombs.

The robots can run as fast as 5.8 miles per hour and last four hours per charge. They are controlled by a laptop with a game-style controller.

The current order is the largest received as yet from the Army’s $286 million Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity xBot, or IDIQ, contract with iRobot, which was announced in December 2007. The Army can order up to that amount but there’s no guarantee, the company said.

Thus far, iRobot has received $125 million in orders under the IDIQ contract. It has shipped more than 2,500 PackBot robots under this and other contracts.

Shares of Bedford, Mass.-based iRobot fell 45 cents, or 3.9 percent, to $11.02 in midday trading on Tuesday.

Army Using Twitter and Facebook For Recruitment

Amit Chowdhry — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:52:48 +0000

The U.S. Army is trying innovative new ways to reach out to today’s youth for recruitment. In this case, they are turning to both Twitter and Facebook.

Lieutenant General Benjamin Freakley oversees recruiting for the Army and is managing the social networking initiative. Facebook is a key way to reach 18-24 year olds according to Freakley. You could become friends with the recruiter and then the recruiter would be able to talk to your friends.

General Raymond Odierno, a top commander in Iraq set up a Facebook page where anyone can ask questions and receive answers regarding the mission in Iraq. The U.S. Air Force and The U.S. Coast Guard has also launched a social networking initiative on Facebook recently as well.

Some of the questions that have been asked include “Can I have a dog in the army” and “Can I be married in the Army?” Lindy Kyzer updates the Army’s Twitter feed and blog. To maintain transparency, negative posts are not removed.