See related story: Hardest Tech-Support Job on Earth
Outside the battle zone, ERDC experts address a broad range of science and technology issues, from protecting wetlands to predicting the extended habitat range of an endangered species.
Col. James R. Rowan, commander of the ERDC in Vicksburg, Mississippi, talks with Wired News reporter Michelle Delio.
Michelle Delio continues her drive south along the Great River Road toward the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's TeleEngineering Operations Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
The TeleEngineering project connects troops in the battlefield directly to the ERDC's experts, allowing thousands of highly skilled engineers to be virtually present in the mountains of Afghanistan, the deserts of Iraq or anywhere else they're needed.
A military officer at the ERDC works with a computer simulation of the Iraqi battlefield. Researchers are developing tools to support military forces in battle space terrain visualization.
TeleEngineering equipment aids bridge analysis.
TeleEngineering was used in Afghanistan to develop engineering solutions that brought the country's battered airport back to operational status.
Engineers stateside used TeleEngineering communications technology to provide assistance on repairs, estimate the loads damaged Iraqi bridges could safely handle and offer expert advice on other engineering problems.
