News and Media Center

Lasers Bring New Urgency for Electric Power

At left, the Advanced Electric Ship Demonstrator, Sea Jet, undergoes sea trials in 2005. The 133-foot vessel tested concepts for increasing maneuverability and propulsive efficiency while reducing acoustic signature. Recent announcements that laser weapons will be put on U.S. Navy ships has highighted, the need for reliable, high-voltage shipboard power.

Bacterial Cells Report for Duty

At left, light-sensitive bacteria express a pigment in the likeness of scientist Albert Einstein. The sample demonstrates how cellular sensors can be repurposed for naval applications, such as signaling a user when an explosive is detected, or as part of a robotic system. Such cellular engineering, or synthetic biology, is the focus of a multi-university research initiative announced by ONR this month.