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Defense Advanced Research Project Agency. Jason Stanley. Who Are T hey?. “Prevent technological surprise, and also create technological surprise for its enemies”’ “Neither supports a service directly nor does it seek to implement solutions to identified service requirements”
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Defense Advanced Research Project Agency Jason Stanley
Who Are They? • “Prevent technological surprise, and also create technological surprise for its enemies”’ • “Neither supports a service directly nor does it seek to implement solutions to identified service requirements” • Responsible (at least partially) for developing... • Internet • NLS computer system • Stealth Fighter • M16 Assault Rifle • …
Financials • Independent firm; contracts out projects • ~240 personal (140 technical) • >200 active projects (unclassified) • Avg. budget of $3.2 billion • Feb. 2012 approved $2.8 billion budget • DoD budget cut by $2 billion • DARPA budget cut by $1.4 million
History • Formative Years (1958-1975) • Founded in 1958 as ARPA; in response to Sputnik • Space • ARPANET (1968) • Cold War Era (1975-1989) • Stealth technology (air and sea) • Wireless Mobile ARPANET • Post Soviet Years (1989-present) • Information Technologies • Robots, circuits, …
A Story Dr. Robert Fossum DARPA Director 1977-1981
Cool Projects • Grand Challenge (2004, 05, 07) • Develop unmanned car to drive ~150 miles through Mohave Desert • First competition in 2004 • No car made it more than 7 miles • One year later… • 5 teams cross finish line • CALO (2003-07) • Cognitive Assistant that Learns and Organize • Major spinoffs: Apple’s Siri • Policy Analysis Market (2001-03) • Proposed electronic futures market • “Bet” on political developments in Middle East
More Cool Projects • SyNAPSE (2008-) • Mammalian brain computer architecture • Onion Routing (1998) • Tor • Aspen Movie Map (1978) • Google Street View • Network Challenge (2009) • Find 10 balloons randomly placed across USA
The Secret Sauce Brains, Money, and Lean Described as “100 geniuses connected by a travel agent” Utilize universities and private research labs
Competition • Essentially every other nation • Major past competitor: Soviet Union • Major present competitor: China
My Prediction • DARPA continues to innovate • …and receive funding • Obama recently approved $2.8 billion budget • Cut only $1.4 million
Thanks! Any questions?