The U.S. Air Force is working with a University of South Florida faculty member to build a faster, smaller, eco-friendly computer.
Assistant professor Jacob Gayles won a three-year, $450,000 grant that will give him access to supercomputing resources, allowing him to execute thousands of calculations simultaneously. After looking at the data, Gayles will develop equations used to test various metal materials. The metals can better store information, conduct electricity more efficiently and be protected from electromagnetic waves that could disable electronic and electric equipment.
The grant will also allow Gayles to recruit students globally.
“Bringing on more students will allow for new approaches,” said Cole Gibson, an undergraduate student on Gayles’ research team, in a statement. “The natural step forward is developing a more sophisticated model and better means to analyze the data.”
The grant is part of the Air Force’s Office of Scientific Research’s Young Investigator Program.
“This money will allow us to get started on a project that could revolutionize computing,” Gayles said in a statement. “If we continue down our current path with technology, it is not sustainable — we need better materials.”
Gayles has spent the last roughly 15 years researching materials that could better conduct electricity and store information in technology. With the latest research project, the ultimate goal will be to create smaller, faster computers that are better for the environment.
USF has had a series of research partnership wins since the start of the year. The university and Florida High Tech Corridor deployed $75,000 in February to three research projects; USF is also working with a European virtual reality company on a virtual tennis headset, with the company ultimately moving its U.S. headquarters to Tampa.
