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ORNL uses old radiation detectors repurposed into plaques

On Feb. 15, 2024, the one billionth item, also known as an “occupancy,” was scanned at the Port of Aqaba, Jordan, one of the early sites where radiation detection equipment was installed. This milestone shows the extent of countries committed to preventing the spread of radioactive material through the amount of data volunteered to ORNL for continuous improvement. As adversaries push the limits of smuggling dangerous material, this collaboration pushes back through science-backed analysis. 

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The National Security Sciences Directorate within the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has signed a memoranda of understanding with Jackson State University and with Tennessee Tech University. The MOUs detail ORNL’s intention to work with each university to enhance research and educational opportunities in nuclear science and engineering.

arial view of Coca river

ORNL drone and geospatial team becomes first to map the Coca River in the Amazon basin as erosion and sediment threaten Ecuador’s lands.

ORNL intern Jack Orebaugh holds the drone used in his research to help locate human remains. Credit: Lena Shoemaker/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Jack Orebaugh, a forensic anthropology major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has a big heart for families with missing loved ones. When someone disappears in an area of dense vegetation, search and recovery efforts can be difficult, especially when a missing person’s last location is unknown. Recognizing the agony of not knowing what happened to a family or friend, Orebaugh decided to use his internship at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to find better ways to search for lost and deceased people using cameras and drones. 

ORNL researchers are establishing a digital thread of data, algorithms and workflows to produce a continuously updated model of earth systems.

Digital twins are exactly what they sound like: virtual models of physical reality that continuously update to reflect changes in the real world.

 

Frontier, the fastest supercomputer in the world, provides expansive and energy-efficient power, which gives scientists the capability to train large AI models in a responsible way.

ORNL is home to the world's fastest exascale supercomputer, Frontier, which was built in part to facilitate energy-efficient and scalable AI-based algorithms and simulations. 

Sam Hollifield displays a prototype of the Secure Hijack, Intrusion and Exploit Layered Detector, or SHIELD, the device monitoring the cybersecurity of the semi-truck. Credit: Lena Shoemaker/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

As vehicles gain technological capabilities, car manufacturers are using an increasing number of computers and sensors to improve situational awareness and enhance the driving experience.

Mike Benson portrait

Mike Benson has spent the last 10 years using magnetic resonance imaging systems — much as you find in a hospital — to understand the fluid dynamics of flows around objects and even scaled replicas of cities. He aims to apply MRI scanning to

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced the establishment of its Center for AI Security Research, or CAISER, to address threats already present as governments and industries around the world adopt artificial intelligence and take advantage of the benefits it promises in data processing, operational efficiencies and decision-making. Credit: Rachel Green/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory announced the establishment of the Center for AI Security Research, or CAISER, to address threats already present as governments and industries around the world adopt artificial intelligence and take advantage of the benefits it promises in data processing, operational efficiencies and decision-making.

Director of ORNL’s AI Initiative Prasanna Balaprakash addresses attendees at the Generative AI for ORNL Science Workshop. Credit: ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory hosted its Smoky Mountains Computational Science and Engineering Conference for the first time in person since the COVID pandemic broke in 2020. The conference, which celebrated its 20th consecutive year, took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Knoxville, Tenn., in late August.