Pentagon Offering $1 Million Prize for Soldier Power
July 17th, 2007 (11:20 am) by You Served Editorial Staff-The Pentagon is currently offering a $1 million prize to any team that can provide power for the future soldiers of America. Instead of wearing 20lbs worth of batteries to run all their new electronic systems, the Pentagon is hoping to cut that amount by at least half.
Teams will be required to demonstrate their power packs work in a “wear off” in fall 2008. The three lightest power packs that meet all requirements will win prizes. The Director of Defense Research and Engineering is demanding that all of the power systems be able to attach to a combat vest and provide 20 watts for at least 96 hours and the whole unit; power generator, control electronics, connectors, electrical storage, and fuel, must weigh 4 kilograms or less.
The lightest system will win $1 million dollars. The second and third lightest systems will win $500,000 and $250,000, respectively.