Friday, June 10, 2005

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT INCLUDES FUNDING FOR OREGON PROJECTS

 

Report includes $26.5 million in funding for projects Congressman Wu fought hard to secure

Washington, DC -- Today Congressman David Wu was pleased to announce that the House Appropriations Committee report on the Fiscal Year 2006 Defense Appropriations bill includes $26.5 million in federal funding for several Oregon research projects and products.  The bill is scheduled to be considered by the full House next week.

 

"This funding will launch and continue many vital research efforts in Oregon that assist our men and women in uniform," stated Congressman Wu.  "Such investments in Oregon's nanotechnology, biomedical technology, and smart apparel industries continue to help drive our regional, national and global economy forward."

 

To follow is a list of the projects and products to receive federal funds:

 

 

ONAMI, the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, is a collaborative effort that combines Oregon's strongest university science and technology research with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's extensive capabilities to address significant national needs (e.g. battlefield energy supply and soldier protection, advancement of nanotechnology development without harm to environmental or human health). At the same time, it lays a foundation for Oregon's future economic development.

 

The Miniature Tactical Energy Systems Proposal is intended to develop miniaturized tactical energy systems for a wide range of military applications including portable power systems for use by military personnel in the field and power systems for remote autonomous sensors. Portable energy systems help minimize the logistics requirements of field operations. While Miniature Tactical Energy Systems Development is focused on military technology, the same technologies will have wide commercial applications and may well lead to new commercial firms and perhaps whole new industries.

 

 

 

The Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative is intended to develop nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing methods that simultaneously meet the military’s need for high performance materials, protect human health and minimize harm to the environment.  Three general areas of activity included within the initiative include:  rational design of inherently safer and greener materials, systematic assessment of the biological impacts of engineered nanomaterials and development of technology for high volume manufacturing of high-performance nanomaterials. 

 

 

 

The Mountain Cold Weather Clothing & Equipment Program (MCWCEP) is the Marine Corps' approach to dressing the marine in an integrated "capability set" of clothing and equipment and to ensure his or her protection and comfort in combat operations. An added goal is to reduce the weight, bulk and volume that a Marine must carry. The environmental conditions and tactics being utilized by opposing combatants in Afghanistan and Iraq have resulted in increasing need to wear body armor.

 

The present Interceptor body armor consists of 37 layers of woven Kevlar® enhanced with ceramic plates designed to protect the chest and back. The weight of this armor is at least 19 pounds. The constant need to wear armor has resulted in significant soldier health issues, including heat stress, chafing, rashes, and infections. The lack of readily available water for bathing and clothes-washing compounds these issues. Base layer garments worn under body armor by Marines are currently cotton t-shirts that absorb moisture, stay wet, and contribute to chafing, rashes and skin infections.

 

InSport of Beaverton, in collaboration with Malden Mills Industries of Lawrence, Massachusetts have developed new fabrics to create a base layer garment that quickly moves moisture away from the skin and has a silver coated fiber knit into the construction that provides permanent anti-microbial protection. Integrating these new InSport Polartec® Power Dry with x-static® shirts into the fielded ensemble will improve the comfort, safety and effectiveness of Marines in the field.

 

 

 

The HemCon Bandage is made from a natural product called chitosan, a substance found in shrimp shells and other crustaceans.  The chitosan bonds with red blood cells to form a clot and stop hemorrhaging. The 4x4 bandage also creates a bond to seal the wound, replacing the traditional gauze and tourniquet used to stop severe bleeding.

 

For the past three years, the U.S. Army has used the new technology that has revolutionized the treatment of wounds on the battlefield. Due to its success, the Food and Drug Administration quickly approved the use of the bandage for the external control of severe bleeding and it is now included in the Army’s recommended guidelines for combat casualty care. Military physicians estimate that 90% of severely wounded soldiers in the battlefield most often die of blood loss before they can reach a medical facility. Continued use of the HemCon bandage will certainly prevent some of these unnecessary deaths.

 

 

 

Researchers at the Oregon Medical Laser Center (OMLC) have created tissues for repair of battlefield injuries based upon the natural protein elastin, as well as laser techniques for instant sealing of wounds. Use of elastin patches and laser fusion may save countless lives now lost to internal organ damage and blood loss, as well as reduce suffering and length of hospitalization for those who incur non-fatal injuries, increasing the chance of a rapid, full functional recovery for the injured soldier.

 

 

 

Early indication of hemorrhage is critical to saving lives, and rising lactic acid in the blood is one of the first signs of trouble. ISense Development Corporation (iDC), located in Portland, is working to address this issue by developing a highly-miniaturized lactic acid sensor for deployment in the field or hospital.

 

The sensor is designed to be a modified intravenous catheter, providing routine catheter functions (administration of blood and fluids), along with continuous measurement of lactic acid. Data is transmitted to a display unit, activating an alarm as appropriate. This sensor will have dual use, both in military applications and civilian use, where it also enables early detection for blood poisoning, heart failure, and hemorrhagic shock. The sensor allows for monitoring of physical stress as experienced by soldiers, firefighters, and police. Physical exhaustion and dehydration are also indicated by a rise in lactic acid levels. In a battlefield setting, the sensor can identify which soldiers need to be rested and rehydrated.

 

 

 

The functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) machine at the University of Oregon's Center for Brain, Biology and Machine allows scientists to observe physiological changes in the human brain while a subject thinks, acts and feels. This research will lead to breakthroughs in the fundamental mechanisms of human thought and behavior, including motor control, memory, personality, learning and attention.

 

 

 

Oregon Iron Works, located in Clackamas, in collaboration with Geneva Aerospace of Carrollton, Texas are working on the Unmanned Force Augmentation System (UFAS) program to research, develop and test advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies. This program integrates existing proven technologies based on high performance aircraft design to provide a high performance tactical class UAV system solution that is easy to operate, affordable, and containing a small logistics footprint among other important attributes.

 

 

 

The Titan Corporation, based in San Diego, California, is a leading provider of comprehensive information and communications products including the Prophet Ground system, which permit the interception and geo-location of radio and telephone communications across a broad range of frequencies. These systems have been enormously important in the fight against terrorism overseas and are providing key intelligence information in operational theaters.

 

The U.S. Army and the Army National Guard are in the process of procuring Prophet Ground systems. While Active Component system production was funded starting in fiscal year 2000, the National Guard will still have a 40 system shortfall upon completion of current production. The Oregon National Guard will benefit from the continued procurement of these systems.

 

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