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What We Do Developing and building state-of-the-art solutions for challenging problems faced by the U.S. Navy has been our core expertise for several decades. Modern submarines host thousands of sensors that are used for tactical purposes and also to collect data that are subjected to later analysis such as mission reconstruction.  APL-UW is the implementing organization for the Pacific Northwest component of the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative: Regional Scale Nodes. This underwater cabled observatory will be installed off the Washington and Oregon coasts to span the Juan de Fuca plate. We are engineering leads for this high bandwidth, high power distribution system, and will also deliver the scientific instrument packages that connect to it. More >> |
 Gary Harkins, EPS Department Director Expertise Custom Recording Systems We develop custom recording systems and also the interfaces between them and ship's sensors for every U.S. Navy submarine. We also develop the highly specialized signal processing tools used to analyze the collected data. High-Definition Sonars We have developed a new class of high-definition sonars used to inspect and identify objects in turbid water where optical systems fail and continue to explore applications for them. They can identify underwater intruders as part of harbor security, and can be deployed on remotely operated submersibles where they can scan for objects of interest. The sonars are even being used to count migrating salmon by fisheries researchers.  DIDSON high-definition sonar images: fish (L) and stingrays (R) Photonics Photonics is the use of light to acquire, transfer and store data of all types. Systems operating with light are expected to replace many electronic devices in the future. Researchers are developing fiber optic modulators and switches based on organic electro-optic polymer materials. We are also working on spectroscopic identification of materials using terahertz radiation. |
What's New?  Photonics Research Senior Engineer and Affiliate Associate Professor Antao Chen's photonics group is engaged in multidisciplinary research on advanced fiber optic materials and devices to address the bandwidth needs of the future. More >>  XRay Flying Wing Glider Principal Engineer and Affiliate Associate Professor Jim Luby leads the Laboratory's team in developing the large undersea glider in partnership with Scripps Institution of Oceanography. More >> |