TAMPA — The University of South Florida opened a cutting-edge lab on March 22 aimed at providing quick, innovative solutions to the different challenges facing the U.S. Department of Defense.
Managed by USF’s Institute of Applied Engineering, the new Rapid Experimentation Lab provides a unique, collaborative space to rapidly test concepts.
The state-of-the-art facility, part of a five-year, $85 million contract with the Department of Defense, is poised to reshape the engineering landscape in Tampa Bay, USF said in a press release. It aims to streamline the prototyping process by bringing together engineers from a wide range of disciplines under one roof, significantly reducing development timelines.
“The lab provides the necessary infrastructure, tools and collaborative environment to enable the curious and inspired to design, build and test technologies for today and tomorrow,” said Peter Jorgensen, the associate director of engineering for the IAE. “More than just a makerspace, the REL is a playground for mechanical, electronics, sensors, communications, and software teams to quickly iterate on designs to solve problems, invent new products and rapidly deliver cutting-edge capabilities.”
The 8,000-square-foot facility houses various equipment, including electrical and mechanical computer design and analysis tools, communications networks to support testing, electronics and circuit boards, as well as manufacturing technology. It will allow multiple engineers to collaborate, test and retest an idea or product before presenting it to the Department of Defense for consideration.
It will be utilized not just by USF faculty and student engineers, but also partners in the Department of Defense and private industry.
