Army honors internal inventors

Developers of top technology solutions to be recognized for their work at June 12 ceremony.

The Army last week unveiled its list of the service's top 10 inventions for 2007, with more than half the winners focused on protecting troops from improvised explosive devices, which have caused more than 40 per cent of the casualties in Iraq.

The service said one winner, a new process to treat wounded soldiers, has achieved results equal to the introduction of antibiotics to treat disease.

Nominations for the top inventions list were submitted from across the Army laboratory community. The winners were chosen by a group made up of members of active-duty divisions and the service's Training and Doctrine Command, along with the Army's vice chief of staff.

Gen. Benjamin Griffin, commander of Army Materiel Command, said the awards program recognizes the best technology solutions for soldiers and highlights work done by the Army research and development community.

The Army will hold an awards ceremony honoring the winners on June 12 at the Hyatt Crystal City in Arlington, Va.

The winning inventions are:

Damage Control Resuscitation of Severely Injured Soldiers, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research

Shadow 200 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Communications Relay System, Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center

• Reconnaissance Vehicle System, Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center

Objective Gunner Protection Kit, Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

XM982 Excalibur Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile, Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

M110 7.62mm Semi-Automatic Sniper System, Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

• Picatinny Blast Shield for Light Armored Vehicles, Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

Self Protective Adaptive Roller Kit, Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center

Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center

Improvised Explosive Device Interrogation Arm, Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center