AU’S BEVLY AWARDED YOUNG INVESTIGATOR GRANT BY OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH

AUBURN - David Bevly, assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Auburn University, has received a grant from the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program to research the use of dogs for security assistance without the immediate presence of a handler.

Bevly proposes to develop a program using global positioning sensors (GPS) and a microcontroller to automatically guide trained dogs to specific locations.

“The technology is much like that used with unmanned ground vehicles, but the modeling of the system and the design of a microcontroller for a dog will be the focus of the research,” said Bevly. “We are working with researchers in the veterinary school as we move through this project.”

“It’s an honor to receive this recognition,” Bevly said. “This project is similar to others our lab has worked on, but now our focus is a canine instead of vehicles.”

The ONR Young Investigator Program is awarded to young faculty less than five years out of doctoral studies who show exceptional promise for doing creative research. The objectives of this program are to attract outstanding faculty members to the naval research program, support innovative research and encourage teaching and research careers.

“This award is a testament to the contributions and achievements of all the members of our research team,” Bevly said. “The students assisting with this project are some of the brightest engineers anywhere, and everyone who tours our lab comments on the ability and talent this group has.”

Auburn University is a preeminent land-grant and comprehensive research institution with more than 23,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. Ranked among the top 50 public universities nationally, Auburn is Alabama’s largest educational institution, offering more than 230 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs.

(Contributed by Sara Borchik.)

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