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Developing Technologies

Finding New Solutions, Improving Existing Applications

ENSCO is constantly creating new and improved technologies for our customers. With an innovative environment that encourages the development of products and services, we help our customers meet their missions more effectively and efficiently.
 

Chemistry Initiatives to Better Protect Our Nation

ENSCO scientists are applying advanced theoretical techniques to address the Department of Defense’s (DoD) most challenging real-world problems involving the detection of chemical and biological agents. These techniques will aid in protection of U.S. troops and their assets; decontamination of equipment and critical infrastructure; and agent threat analysis. Under a Chemical/Biological Defense Initiative Fund (CBDIF) program, we are analyzing the fundamental chemical and physical reactions and interactions of airborne chemicals with particular surfaces. The goal of this CBDIF program is to develop tools that offer insight into current decontamination issues in order to pave the way for developing revolutionary decontamination techniques. Key to this project is the development of our multi-scale modeling approach that enables translation of the effects of specific molecule-to-molecule reactions/interactions across an entire complex surface.

Another area of ENSCO research involves applying our theoretical chemistry expertise to adapt atmospheric chemistry models to the “atmospheric” chemistry in the drift tube of an Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) detection device. Modeling of the chemistry within IMS detectors will allow substantial improvements to their detection capabilities for explosives and chemical agents, and also allow quick analysis of new threats that have previously unknown chemical signatures. This research serves as a base for ongoing detection development efforts by the DoD and homeland defense organizations to improve their ability to respond to threats on the battlefield as well as potential terrorist attacks in the United States.

We continue to strengthen our role as the leader in atmospheric chemistry applications for chemical agents and toxic industrial chemicals/materials. ENSCO has successfully supported multiple DoD contracts involving the modeling of the release, transport, dispersion and fate of chemicals in the atmosphere. Our most recent effort entails the modification of SCIPUFF, one of only a few DoD-approved transport and dispersion models, to include atmospheric chemistry, which enables a more realistic depiction of the potential hazard zone that U.S. troops would be exposed to if toxic chemicals were used during an attack.

Geophysical Sensor Systems Detect and Monitor

ENSCO engineers are developing an Integrated Sensor System (ISS) for DoD underground facility detection and monitoring programs. The ISS consists of networked seismic, acoustic and magnetic sensors. The system combines advanced ground-sensing technologies, mesh-network and satellite communications, multi-sensor data fusion, embedded algorithm development and advanced GIS-based software.

Migrating Machine Vision Technology

ENSCO has been developing automated machine vision technology for the railroad industry for many years. Realizing the usefulness of this technology for other industries, we pursued and won a proof of concept contract with Steel Dynamics, Inc., the nation’s fifth largest producer of carbon steel products. This is the first application of our machine vision inspection technology outside of the railroad industry. The system will detect cracks, spalls and other surface defects in steel beams as they roll out of the steel mill.

Synthetic Vision

ENSCO’s technologists are enhancing situational awareness of air crews by developing a realistic 3-D image of the terrain and bathymetry (ocean bottom) in the air crews’ operational area. The Tactical Synthetic Vision System (TSVS) uses military databases to create a visual picture similar to the terrain that a flight crew would see out the window in good weather during daylight. These databases are also used to display the bathymetry that the air crew would see if an ocean were transparent. Knowledge of bathymetry allows the air crew to gain a tactical advantage during an anti-submarine warfare mission.

The Marine Synthetic Vision System (MSVS) is a commercial variant of TSVS intended for use with commercial fish finders, fishing systems and underwater survey systems. The application presents nautical chart data as bathymetry in a 3-D view. When integrated with an acoustic fish finding or marine survey system, the MSVS accepts sonar data and processes it to present geo-located sonar imagery for intuitive interpretation by the operator/user.

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