Ga Tech BIONIC Center Gets $10.5-Million ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - The BIONIC Center at Georgia Tech has been named a U.S. Air Force Center of Excellence. With the title comes $10.5 million to explore three different research areas.

WABE's Jim Burress explains.

The first area focuses on improving energy harvesting says Material Science and Engineering professor Ken Sandhage:

" batteries, solar cells, other energy-harvesting and energy-storing devices."


Vladimir Tsukruk, also a Material Science and Engineering Professor, says the second focus involves materials that change properties when exposed to heat or light,

" camouflaging, for example, is one of the possible applications."

A third looks at how soldiers react to different situations, from the molecular level all the way to their behavior , says biomedical engineering professor Michelle Laplaca.

" soldiers and war fighters are in very stressful situations and have to perform complex cognitive tasks."

The goal is then to use the research to develop better training techniques.

Researchers say the technology will one day help in the private sector, too.

Jim Burress, WABE News.
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