Photo of Cheryl Reuben

Univ. of Iowa student highlights importance of engineering research

Friday, February 23, 2024
Cheryl Reuben is an undergraduate research assistant in the Atmospheric and Environmental Research Lab.
Jun Wang stands in front of a computer sceen

UI professor’s work now in space, monitoring air quality on Earth

Friday, January 5, 2024
Just after midnight on April 7 along the eastern coast of Florida, Jun Wang saw a blinding light burst across a harbor, followed by a mighty roar. It was a SpaceX rocket lifting off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and starting its ascent into space. With his wife and two of his kids by his side, Wang watched the rocket climb higher and higher into the inky sky — carrying years of his research with it.
Santos mechanic

CBJ: Virtual Soldier Research program saves military time, money

Friday, September 15, 2023
For 40-plus years, the Army has been waiting for someone like 18-year-old Santos. He runs, he deadlifts, executes push-ups and carries burdens like a pack mule and is fresh as a daisy the next day. He’s also entirely virtual. University of Iowa's Santos (and his female counterpart Sophia), is a biomechanically accurate digital avatar that predicts behavior through
Malek and Wallace

Iowa Innovation Podcast: The Future is Virtual featuring Karim Malek and Maj. Gen. Stewart Wallace (retired)

Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Karim Malek, director of the Virtual Soldier Research program at the University of Iowa, and Maj. Gen. Stewart Wallace (retired) appear on the Iowa Innovation Podcast powered by NewBoCo. They discuss how the Virtual Soldier Research program has the capacity to change the world, why Wallace would come out of retirement for this specific project, and host Anthony’s fears of the movie “I, Robot” becoming a reality.
Photo of Delfin L-29 in the sky

The Register: Wow, so they actually let AI fly an F-16 fighter jet

Friday, February 17, 2023
DARPA is also testing how human pilots interact with AI to examine how well they trust machines to automatically conduct dogfights. Air Force pilots have flown L-29 jet trainers also running AI algorithms at the University of Iowa Technology Institute's Operator Performance Laboratory.
Aircraft inside OPL hangar

CBJ: UI flight expert briefs DARPA on AI in aerial combat

Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Operator Performance Laboratory (OPL) director and University of Iowa industrial engineering professor Tom “Mach” Schnell briefed national security leaders on a project seeking to improve artificial intelligence in aerial combat.
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

DARPA highlights UI's contribution as ACE program transitions from simulation to live flight

Tuesday, February 14, 2023
In less than three years, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms developed under DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program have progressed from controlling simulated F-16s flying aerial dogfights on computer screens to controlling an actual F-16 in flight. University of Iowa's Operator Performance Lab has contributed to the progress.
Yang Liu Madigan Army Medical Center

R&D Mecca in the American Heartland

Saturday, December 3, 2022
The University of Iowa may not have the visibility of some aviation schools, but the institution is well known for important research for the civil and military sectors. Robert W. Moorman spoke with their principals. Often research of new technology serves as a prologue to a corresponding need for new or better training. Such could be the case with various research programs at the Iowa Technology Institute, part of the College of Engineering.
Schnell OPL

Press-Citizen: Take a look inside the UI's high-tech research lab for pilots

Thursday, October 27, 2022
It’s fly-in pancake breakfast day at the Iowa City Municipal Airport and, as usual, Tom “Mach” Schnell is hustling around a hangar that is the high-tech headquarters for the University of Iowa Operator Performance Laboratory.
Person driving a test car in the National Advanced Driving Simulator

UI launches program encouraging employees to explore campus

Wednesday, October 19, 2022
The Iowa Technology Institute participated in the University of Iowa's new pilot program, Discover Your University, which allows faculty and staff to explore campus that they don’t get to visit during a normal workday.
OPL

CBJ: University of Iowa OPL’s jets offer flight testing for DARPA project

Saturday, August 20, 2022
The University of Iowa Operator Performance Lab (OPL), a flight test laboratory that conducts research on human-in-the-loop and intelligent autonomous systems, aided DARPA’s Pheme project for a capstone demonstration event.
DHS VIsit

CBJ: Homeland Security officials visit University of Iowa campus

Saturday, August 20, 2022
Leaders of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) HQ Office of Academic Engagement (OAE) visited the University of Iowa campus to gain an Iowa perspective on national security-related topics, a post on the college’s website states.
Xuan Song and researcher

CBJ: NASA funding for UI professor to aid next-gen nuclear propulsion

Saturday, August 20, 2022
NASA has selected University of Iowa professor Xuan Song’s research proposal as one of four Iowa projects to receive EPSCoR funding to facilitate deep space research.
Portrait of Jun Wang

University of Iowa researchers selected to aid NASA mission

Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Jun Wang, assistant director of the Iowa Technology Institute, was named the principal investigator for two NASA grants worth $1.56 million. NASA’s TEMPO mission, set to launch this year, is intended to revolutionize air quality forecasting. TEMPO, which stands for Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring Pollution, is a space-based ultraviolet and visible spectrometer scheduled to be launched into space aboard a commercial satellite — after nearly ten years of planning — before the year is over.
AMPRL

University of Iowa professor honored for 3D printing innovations

Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Xuan Song, an assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Iowa, is among 22 recipients of the 2022 Sandra L. Bouckley Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineers from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME).
James Ankrum

UI professor to research collaborative regenerative medicine in Ireland

Friday, April 15, 2022
James Ankrum, a University of Iowa biomedical engineering professor, will bring his expertise in cell biology to a world-renowned research lab in Dublin.
A soldier does the sprint-drag-carry portion of the Army Combat Fitness Test

VSR contributions noted as Army Combat Fitness Test gets updated again

Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Changes to events and scoring were made to the Army’s official fitness test that started this month, according to Army news releases. Fitness experts at the Center of Initial Military Training Command partnered with academic experts, professional sports organizations and others to develop the new test.
Gary Christensen stands in the Seamen’s Center for a portrait on Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Two UI professors, engineering dean to be nominated by American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers

Thursday, March 10, 2022
The American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers is inducting University of Iowa professors Don Anderson, Gary Christensen, and Harriet Nembhard on March 25. The professors do work in lung cancer treatment, invasive surgery, and orthopedics.
Abstract image

UI professor awarded a $1 million grant to research machine learning, modeling, and simulation

Friday, February 25, 2022
University of Iowa Technology Institute faculty affiliates Sharif Rahman, Jia Lu, and Shaoping Xiao, who are all faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, are on a research team led by Ching-Long Lin studying the educational gap between engineering scholars.
Grace Williamson poses for a portrait in the Seamans Center on Thursday, February 3, 2022

Grace Williamson develops spray gel for burn wounds

Monday, February 14, 2022
Grace Williamson, a University of Iowa senior, is researching advancements in burn wound technology to treat third- and fourth-degree burns.
A person wearing a motion capture suit and jumping

Army turns to Iowa experts as it overhauls fitness standards

Friday, February 11, 2022
The UI’s Virtual Soldier Research Program puts the Army Combat Fitness Test through its paces.
Jun Wang and AER Lab

UI professor collaborates with NOAA to measure air pollution

Thursday, February 10, 2022
Jun Wang, professor of chemical and biochemical engineering at the University of Iowa, is trying to create a mechanism to have exact measures of air pollution and fine particles.
Bathtub Sim

The New Yorker highlights OPL contributions to AI fighter pilot research

Friday, January 21, 2022
The University of Iowa Technology Institute's Operator Performance Laboratory is featured in the New Yorker article "The Rise of A.I. Fighter Pilots: Artificial intelligence is being taught to fly warplanes. Can the technology be trusted?"
OPL Demonstration

Collins Aerospace demonstrates Live Networked Joint Fires in the multi-domain battlespace

Friday, January 14, 2022
Collins Aerospace demonstrated potential applications of resilient networking, intelligent sensing, and secure autonomous processing at the University of Iowa Operator Performance Lab in Iowa City.
Radio Comms

Collins teams with UI, OPL to demonstrate communication systems

Friday, January 14, 2022
Amidst the Pentagon’s push for Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control initiatives, Collins Aerospace recently teamed with the University of Iowa to run a series of exercises focused on resilient networking, intelligent sensing and secure autonomous processing.
OPL Demonstration

Collins Aerospace demonstrates live networked joint fires in the multi-domain battlespace

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Collins Aerospace demonstrated potential applications of resilient networking, intelligent sensing, and secure autonomous processing at the tactical edge to support Army modernization and CJADC2 (Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control) initiatives for the Army and joint services.
Collins Aerospace logo

Collins Aerospace showcases networking technologies for combined JADC2

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Raytheon Technologies‘ Collins Aerospace business held a demonstration in December to showcase data processing and networking capabilities that could support the U.S. military’s combined joint all domain command and control initiatives.
OPL Demonstration

Collins Aerospace demonstrates capabilities to support CJADC2 initiatives

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
The demonstration was conducted at the University of Iowa's Operator Performance Laboratory in Iowa.
Portrait of Syed Mubeen

SunHydrogen names Dr. Syed Mubeen as chief scientific officer

Monday, January 10, 2022
SunHydrogen, Inc. (OTC:HYSR), the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and water, today announced the appointment of Dr. Syed Mubeen to the role of Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
Deadlift

The U.S. Army Is Finally Close to Replacing Its 1980 Fitness Test

Monday, December 6, 2021
Helping the Army assess the new test, scientists at the Iowa Technology Institute at the University of Iowa are doing biomechanical analyses to determine if the levels of strength it calls for are similar to what’s needed for activities such as lifting ammo boxes and digging holes.
OPL helicopter in flight

ITC Midwest conducting aerial LiDAR research of high-voltage transmission lines

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
ITC Midwest will conduct aerial LiDAR research of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout south-central Minnesota during mid-November, weather permitting. Through an innovative collaboration, this research work is being conducted for ITC Midwest by the University of Iowa Technology Institute.
Researchers demonstrate motion validation

University of Iowa researchers working on new military fitness test

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Researchers from the University of Iowa Technology Institute are working with the Army to develop its new combat fitness test.
Person in a motion suit preparing to lift a barbell

University of Iowa researchers work to develop new Army Combat Fitness Test

Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Researchers from the University of Iowa Technology Institute are working with the Army to develop its new combat fitness test.
Photo showing a PHEME pod on an OPL jet

Collins tests stealthy antenna for small UAS for DARPA

Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Collins Aerospace has demonstrated a directional communication system for small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) under a DARPA program, proving the feasibility of an essential technology for operating in contested airspace without being detected.
Photo showing a PHEME pod on an OPL jet

Collins Aerospace successfully demonstrates advances in communications technologies critical for operations in CJADC2 environment

Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Collins Aerospace successfully demonstrated a new directional communication system designed for small platforms such as unmanned aerial systems operating in contested environments. The demonstration, part of the DARPA Pheme project, showed the ability to enable connectivity in the Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) battlespace.
WHO 1040

Malek discusses Epic Games MegaGrant on 1040 WHO radio

Tuesday, October 26, 2021
University of Iowa Technology Institute Director Karim Malek was a guest recently on the Newsradio 1040 WHO program, Need to Know with Jeff Angelo. 
Person doing a leg tuck

University of Iowa virtual soldier models new Army fitness test

Thursday, October 21, 2021
For 40-plus years, the U.S. Army gauged the physical fitness of its soldiers on pushups, sit-ups and a 2-mile run test. But the Army wanted a better measure of "soldier physical readiness." And now it has it, thanks — in part — to the University of Iowa.
Karim Abdel-Malek talking about ACFT

University of Iowa virtual soldier models new U.S. Army fitness test

Thursday, October 21, 2021
The Army wanted a better measure of ‘soldier physical readiness.’ Now it has it, thanks — in part — to the UI Technology Institute and its Virtual Soldier Research program.
A demonstration of UI scientists using the Santos platform to conduct analysis for the Army Combat Fitness Test for the U.S. Army

UI Technology Institute helps U.S. Army evaluate new fitness test requirements

Wednesday, October 20, 2021
The U.S. Army turned to the University of Iowa for help in determining the effectiveness of its new fitness test, the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).
ACFT image

University of Iowa Technology Institute receives grant from Epic Games

Monday, October 18, 2021
The University of Iowa’s virtual human interface is being studied to potentially make video games more realistic.
Karim Malek demonstrates motion-capture virtual reality glasses

University of Iowa Technology Institute gets $100,000 grant

Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Epic Games grant to learn if real-time tech, Santos can exchange info
Ambulance garage

University of Iowa professor publishes book on pre-hospital transportation

Tuesday, October 5, 2021
University of Iowa Professor Salam Rahmatalla has studied how vibrations on the trip to the hospital can worsen injuries or pain for patients.
Meng Zhou poses in front of his research

NASA grants research fellowship to UI grad student to track nighttime air quality

Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Graduate student Meng Zhou received a research fellowship from NASA to study the concentration of nighttime aerosols.
forest fire

Iowa research detecting wildfires before they rapidly grow

Thursday, September 16, 2021
New NASA-funded research at the University of Iowa aims to change the way fires are detected, and how firefighters respond to these blazes. Resources can quickly run out when fighting multiple large fires, so knowing precisely which fire is the most at risk to grow quickly is beneficial.
Portrait of Syed Mubeen

SunHydrogen Extends Research Agreement with University of Iowa, CEO Tim Young visits SCHMID Facility

Wednesday, September 15, 2021
SunHydrogen, Inc. (OTC:HYSR), the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and water, today announced that it has extended its sponsored research agreement with the University of Iowa for the next 12 months.
Jun Wang

University of Iowa engineer wins NASA funding to study effects of wildfires

Tuesday, September 7, 2021
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded a scientist from the University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) grants totaling $1.3 million to study atmospheric and climate impacts from wildfires that have ravaged parts of the planet.
Jun Wang - Justin Torner image 2021

Jun Wang discusses space research on 1540 KXEL following Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin launches

Monday, July 26, 2021
Spurred by the recent high-profile Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic launches, one of University of Iowa's top scientists joined News Talk 1540 KXEL AM radio of Waterloo on July 21, 2021, for a wide-ranging discussion about space-based research as interest in space travel and curiosity about the cosmos surges.
Portrait of Syed Mubeen

SunHydrogen Shares Positive Progress Toward the Scale-up of its Nanoparticle-Based Green Hydrogen Technology

Monday, July 19, 2021
SunHydrogen, Inc. (OTC:HYSR), the developer of a breakthrough technology to produce renewable hydrogen using sunlight and water, today shared positive progress from its research team at the University of Iowa in the path toward scaling up its nanoparticle-based green hydrogen technology.
Karim Malek demonstrates motion-capture virtual reality glasses

A look at technology innovations in our backyard

Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Over the last century, technology has slowly encroached into every aspect of our lives. It's in our pockets, on our wrists and we encounter it everywhere we go. Besides rapid changes that have affected how we consume media, there are many other large scale technological innovations, some happening right here in the Iowa City area, including the Virtual Soldier Project, the National Driving Simulator and robot-assisted surgery.
sarcoma under microscope

ITI faculty researcher Toor discusses novel approach to cancer treatment using lasers on WHO 1040

Monday, April 26, 2021
University of Iowa Technology Institute faculty affiliate Fatima Toor shared insights into her experiments using light to treat a rare form of cancer called soft-tissue sarcoma on Iowa AM radio WHO 1040 on April 23.
Guowei Qi stands in front of the Old Capitol

Guowei Qi becomes fifth Churchill Scholar from UI

Sunday, April 11, 2021
After four years at the University of Iowa, Guowei Qi will attend the University of Cambridge in October to conduct research as one of 17 Churchill Scholars in the nation.
Screenshot of simulated dogfights being run

AI-fighter pilot to be tested this year after successful simulations

Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Researchers in the USA are on course to flight test the first AI-fighter pilot technology during 2023 after running the first successful virtual simulations using algorithms.
Screenshot of simulated dogfights being run

DARPA tests artificial intelligent dogfighting in two-versus-one simulations

Monday, March 22, 2021
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA’s) Air Combat Evolution (ACE) programme tested team dogfighting between artificial intelligence-controlled fighters in a software simulation in February.
Hydrogen tanks

Iowa could become hot spot for green hydrogen technology

Friday, February 5, 2021
About a decade ago, Troy Van Beek used to lug around a solar panel to explain to potential customers that the technology, which still was relatively new at the time, can't 'steal sunlight.' Now 11 years after the company's founding, Ideal Energy is trying to sell another novel piece of renewable energy technology - green hydrogen.
Illustration depicting the Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite as it orbits Earth

Advising NASA on which satellites should stay in orbit

Monday, January 11, 2021
A pair of Iowans, including an Iowa State University agronomy professor, helped to shape the future of NASA by evaluating the agency’s satellite missions and recommending which satellites should stay in orbit.
A stack of newspapers resting on a laptop computer

IntelliSee AI risk mitigation platform announces product launch: New company offers "smarter surveillance for a safer world"

Saturday, October 10, 2020
IntelliSee, a new artificial intelligence (AI) software platform that uses existing surveillance cameras and machine-learning algorithms to help organizations improve their risk profiles, has announced its beta release on September 1, 2020.
Photo of Profs. Narayanan and Dasgupta and graduate student Fahim Anjum

University of Iowa researchers develop algorithm to detect Parkinson’s Diseas

Wednesday, September 9, 2020
University of Iowa Electrical and Computer Engineering and Neurology researchers developed an algorithm to detect Parkinson’s Disease in patients using electroencephalography data.
Portrait of Christoph Beckermann

University of Iowa professor to send metal alloys research to the International Space Station

Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Professor Christoph Beckermann will be working alongside a team at NASA to observe metal alloy grains as they are melted in a mirco-gravity furnace.
Sophia ladder climb

Yearslong digital-person studies finally ‘maturing’ for human assessments, UI researchers say at Iowa Virtual Human Summit

Thursday, August 13, 2020
After 15 years of work, digital avatars are finally maturing to a place where researchers can “design a human” to test protective equipment for military personnel, University of Iowa researchers said Wednesday.
Female soldier wearing body armor

Soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord are testing out better-fitting body armor

Thursday, August 13, 2020
The Army has been working to update its soldier protection system for women and men who are smaller in size. As the military closes on the five-year point since women have been able to serve in combat positions, Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican and retired National Guard officer, said the effort is long overdue.
Xiaodong Wu

Pooling samples could help you get your COVID-19 test results faster

Friday, July 17, 2020
As the number of COVID-19 cases has surged in the United States and elsewhere, laboratories have struggled to keep up with testing demands. There have been shortages of reagents needed to conduct the tests. Also, many tests—or SARS-CoV-2 assays—are difficult to perform in large numbers. Both problems can delay patients’ test results.
NADS Rural Driving

NADS's $7 million automated driving in rural America study featured on Iowa Public Radio

Thursday, May 21, 2020
Dan McGehee, director of the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS), was featured on Iowa Public Radio's River To River with Ben Kieffer last month in a segment about transportation. 
Ding DI Article

UI researchers use simulations to observe how viruses dry on solid surfaces

Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Two researchers in the University of Iowa College of Engineering received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how virus droplets that are expelled when someone coughs or sneezes dry on solid surfaces and contribute to the spread of infectious diseases.
Caterina Lamuta and Venanzio Cichella in front of their home

Researchers at the UI create robotic rehabilitation device to help increase range of motion in the wrist

Sunday, April 26, 2020
Assistant professors in the University of Iowa College of Engineering have developed a robotic device to help people increase their range of motion in the wrist using artificial muscles to increase flexibility.
Kaylee Lichtenstein in military uniform

Cadet of the week: Kaylee Lichtenstein

Thursday, April 9, 2020
Kaylee Lichtenstein, an undergraduate research assistant in the Virtual Soldier Research program, was named Cadet of the Week by the U.S. Army.