DARPA looking for technology to create ‘transient electronics’ devices
January 29, 2013
Salvador Dali painting? No, Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) (credit: DARPA)
The sophisticated electronics used by warfighters in everything from radios, remote sensors and even phones can now be made at such a low cost that they are pervasive throughout the battlefield. But it is almost impossible to track and recover every device.
These electronics are often found scattered across the battlefield and might be captured by the enemy and repurposed or studied to compromise DoD’s strategic technological advantage.
What if these electronics simply disappeared when no longer needed?
Real vaporware
DARPA has announced the Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) program, with the aim of revolutionizing the state of the art in transient electronics — electronics capable of dissolving into the environment around them.
Transient electronics developed under VAPR should maintain the current functionality and ruggedness of conventional electronics, but, when triggered, be able to degrade partially or completely into their surroundings. Once triggered to dissolve, these electronics would be useless to any enemy who might come across them.
“The breakdown of such devices could be triggered by a signal sent from command or any number of possible environmental conditions, such as temperature,” said Alicia Jackson, DARPA program manager.
DARPA has posted a special announcement for a Proposers’ Day to be held in advance of a full solicitation in the form of a broad agency announcement. Performers are sought to conduct basic research into materials, devices, manufacturing and integration processes, and design methodology that will enable a revolutionary shift in transient electronics capabilities. The program seeks to culminate in a technology demonstration that builds a circuit representative of an environmental or biomedical sensor that is able to communicate with a remote user.
“DARPA has previously demonstrated that transient electronics might be used to fight infections at surgical sites,” said Jackson. “Now, we want to develop a revolutionary new class of electronics for a variety of systems whose transience does not require submersion in water.
This is a tall order, and we imagine a multidisciplinary approach. Teams will likely need industry experts who understand circuits, integration, and, design. Performers from the material science community will be sought to develop novel substrates. There’s lots of room for innovation by clever people with diverse expertise.”
Comments (6)
by Scott Batchelor
With advances in bioprinting and materials, these devices could be attached to the body like a skin and peeled off to harmlessly biodegrade. I can think of lots of medical devices, communications and targeting systems, that could be made for a tactical operator with this design characteristic in mind.
by redlaboratory
What if the enemy know how to dissolve your electronic ? Signal and temperature can be randomly found …
by asiwel
Why was my first thought here more environmental “pollution”? True, this seldom seems to be an immediate concern regarding military action .. and then afterwards we are usually talking about landmines and unexploded ordinance, etc. But the problem of disposing/recycling batteries and old electronics is a serious one … and somehow just “dissolving” such “litter” on (and into) the ground doesn’t quite seem like forward progress.
by Eric
The idea that this technology would end up in consumer devices seems far fetched to me. Why would someone want to pay a significantly higher price to incorporate technology that would not last as long? I do think it would be awesome for some things though. Imagine the memory chip holding data in you phone being able to dissolve if the phone had too many bad password attempts.
by godot
The ultimate weapon in the planned obsolesence war against consumers. I’m sure the multinationals are rejoicing, and if Ralph Nader were dead, he’d be spinning in his grave!
by ErikSMeyer
Brilliant! I can think of all kinds of excuses they might come up with for staging dissolution triggers; planned phase-outs, upgrades whatever. Think of all the gear they could just destroy every year, to make room for new gear, to be purchased from the defense contractors. We could seen first tens, then hundred of billions in extra budget outlays to the defense industry, just to keep replacing all the stuff the Pentagon is ordering dissolved every year.
Where’ Paul Krugman? We could make consumer goods dissolvable, too, that way people could ultimately be put in a positon where they have no choice but to work more and spend more, just so that they can keep rebuying the stuff they already have (put those laptops and flat screenTVs on a cycle, that way, the rubes will have to keep “upgrading” every year, no matter what)