Crowdsourcing Solutions for DIY Terrorist Weapons
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the USA wants to reward you for making homemade weapons. No this is not a joke, but a serious crowdsourcing exercise to help tackle the threats posed by terrorists.
In its latest crowdsourcing initiative, the agency wants people to think of every conceivable way that household appliances can be weaponized. In return, you could not only help to make the world a safer place, but be in line for a $130,000 payday.
DARPA’s latest initiative is called Improv and its aim is to understand how everyday objects can be turned into deadly weapons. In this way, the agency is hoping it will be able to spot hidden threats posed by innovative homemade bombs and weapons.
To take part, you must register your interest before March 21. There will then be a webcast on March 29 and 30 to discuss the project in more detail.
Participants will have until April 13 to submit abstracts of the projects they want to work on. If the agency gives an abstract the thumbs up, a full proposal will have to be worked up.
If a proposal is approved, funding will be granted for building a prototype
Funds for proposals will be allocated in the following way:
- Up to $40,000 to conduct a feasibility study
- Up to $70,000 to build a prototype
- A further $20,000 if the prototype is evaluated
Testing and Evaluation
Useful prototypes will go on to be tested by the US government, which will help determine whether countermeasures need to be developed.
Reader Comments
I am Ebi sam briestly. I am a design engineer. I came to know about improv via ideaconnections. I have more interest in defence weapons. So i would like to work together to find a better solution. Kindly can i get more information about improv.
Posted by Ebi sam briestly on April 6, 2016
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