University Research Methods
Applied to Military Problems
(Continued from Preceding Page).
hardware. Any equipment develop-
ed is experimental, with the prime
objective of treating theoretical
concepts. Once the basic work is
done, further development is gen-
erally passed on to others. Com-
mercial firms may produce the
item in a field-working form and
the Army will do the actual field
testing.
Many of the experimental mod-
els are purposely made large, or
laboratory size. An entire room
may be filled with devices that
must later be reduced to meet cer-
tain military weight and space
specifications. At times the large
size is desirable because it per-
mits easier modification and ob-
servation of each item; other
times, size may be determined by
the ' types of components avail-
able.
It is in the basic and applied re-
search stages that the broad scope
of the laboratories becomes ap-
parent. Project MICHIGAN alone
includes work on radar, infra-red,
acoustics and seismics, navigation
and guidance for aerial platforms,
and data processing. Work in all
of these fields generally requires
the use of many technical services.
The Analog Computer Laboratory,
Willow Run Laboratories use several of the University's research
facilities. Here a faculty member seals an experimental tube de-
signed for advanced study of radar receivers by Project Michigan
personnel.
While at School-Stay Informed
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for example, handles many of the
simulation problems that arise in
the Radar Laboratory. The Com-
putation Department does work for
the Sensory Sub-systems Task as
well as for other groups. An Air-
craft Facility provides flight test-
ing for the Infra-red Laboratory,
the Radar Laboratory, and so on.
IT IS POSSIBLE that efficient
sensors of the future will be
able to report to a data processing
center faster than operators can
handle the information. Eventual
mechanization of many human ac-
tivities is one partial solution to
this problem but in the meantime
employing operators in the most
effective manner provides an. an-
swer. This means that in data pro-
cessing, as with most other opera-
tions, a study of human factors is
important. Experiments are run by
Project MICHIIGAN personnel to
determine the optimum rate of bits
of information that a group can
handle.
The same data processing center,
known as the Surveillance Center,
solves other problems important to
a battle area commander. Realistic
tactical situations are programmed
by experienced former-military
personnel. Progressive information
is called into the Surveillance
Center where an operator passes
it along to a Postulator who re-
cords it on a low-lighted display
panel along with information from
other sources. This summarized in-
formation then goes to the mili-
tary commander for action.
One of the biggest "break-
throughs" at Willow Run Labor-
atories was the discovery of the
ruby maser. A maser is an elec-
tronic amplifier that can be used
as a radar component and in ra-
diometers, telemetry receivers,
and other microwave devices. It
has unusual properties such as
low electronic noise which makes
it useful in surveillance. Project
MICHIGAN personnel predicted
from theoretical- considerations
that ruby would make a highly
desirable maser crystal. This was
verified experimentally by the
Project in December, 1957. Rubies
have now been installed in masers
in many Paris of the country with
repeated proof of many improve-
ments in equipment performance.
One of its major applications for
peacetime.uses was in the "nose
cone" of the radio telescope at'
Peach Mountain.
P'R FIVE YEARS Willow Run
Laboratories . directed the Na-
WANTED!
000 HEADS
be they square, flat or rounded
for that crew-cat
at
The Dascola Barbers
Near Michigan Theatre
tional Radar Symposium which
brings several hundred radar sci-
entists and engineers from all
parts of the United States to Ann
Arbor. Actually, this is but one
of many achievements which
identifies the Laboratories as
leaders in this field. The rest can-
not be mentioned because of their
military significance. H o w e v e r,
one example wil suffice. This was
the.development of a side-looking
radar which enables a drone or
airplane to scan the area on its
flank to reveal enemy activity
without exposing itself to gunfire.
Basic research has always been
important to Willow Run Labora-
tories. A large part of its budget
is used to support long-range ex-
ploratory activities; much of it
carried out in campus labora-
tories. Investigations into ferrite
materials, spectroscopy, semi-
conductors, parametric amplifiers,
spin resonance phenomena, and
other little known fields are en-
couraged with Project MICHI-
GAN funds. Although no one
knows what the eventual value
may be, there is every reason to
believe that only by extending our
knowledge in new directions will
"breakthroughs" be realized.
While many groups within Wil-
low Run Laboratories are working
on a variety of Air Force and
Navy contracts, the Project MICH-
IGAN tasks aim to meet the sur-
veillance needs of the Army of
the future. Evidence of Project
MICHIGAN's close support is the
Army Liaison Group which con-
sists of Signal Corps, Corps of En-
gineers and Continental Army
Command officers located in fa-
cilities shared with the Radar
Laboratory. Progress is reported
every step of the way so that the
latest developments may be in-
corporated into Army thinking
without the usual red-tape or de-
lay.
IN ALL its research efforts both
in basic and applied as well as
in the development of experi-
mental models the principal of
an integrated system concept is
paramount. To make the contri-
butions of some seven hundred
people flow together to produce a
unified program is the job of the
Willow Run Laboratory's manage-
ment. Dr. Joseph Boyd is the Di-
rector of the Laboratories, and
Dr. Rune Evaldson is associate
director. Dr. Robret Hess is the
technical head of Project MICHI-
GAN and on him falls the job of
gearing together the Project's di-
verse activities. All three are on
leave from their teaching duties
in the College of Engineering.
Robert Ohlsson, who is respon-
sible for the Research Labora-
tories programs and Wray Smith,
in charge of the Administrative
Staffs, are both products of. the
University.
Evaluation of systems concepts
through simulation and analysis,
research in the employment of the
(Concludte* n Pnage0t
--ill
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invite the New Students to our store,
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Page Four
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