Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure • Hacker News Board

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#11

Post by mikewarot » Mon, Jan 06, 2025, 7:28 AM UTC

I know this is really unlikely to help, but let me throw a few ideas at you and see if any might help.

1> GNU Radio is a way to take flow graphs build in a GUI tool which then get translated into a python program that runs the graphs using a lot of C/C++ libraries to get real time performance at megasamples/second, on really, really cheap hardware. Perhaps there are some applications where it could help?

2> Bit Level Systolic Arrays might be useful for flowing data at high speed (yeah, it's my BitGrid hobby horse)... Instead of a CPU in each cell, it's just a 4x4 bit Look Up Table, and a 4 bit latch (to eliminate timing issues, and make everything flow deterministically).

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#12

Post by koala112 » Mon, Jan 06, 2025, 10:42 AM UTC

Is there a way to get in touch with you?

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#13

Post by ipunchghosts » Mon, Jan 06, 2025, 3:37 PM UTC

koala112 wrote: post #12

Is there a way to get in touch with you?

can i email you at your substack? Otherwise, i can reply to one of your threads with my email and then delete it. Let me know so we can set this up to time well.

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#14

Post by ipunchghosts » Mon, Jan 06, 2025, 3:44 PM UTC

mikewarot wrote: post #11

I know this is really unlikely to help, but let me throw a few ideas at you and see if any might help. 1> GNU Radio is a way to take flow graphs build in a GUI tool which then get translated into a python program that runs the graphs using a lot of C/C++ libraries to get real time performance at megasamples/second, on really, really cheap hardware. Perhaps there are some applications where it could help? 2> Bit Level…

These are great ideas but the timing is wrong.

1. GNU radio circa 2006 did not nearly support the SNRs and modulation schemes we needed; the tools had simply not matured. Furthermore, by making blocks, its difficult to close the loops hitting theory on timing say with respect to re-demoding blocks after getting loop lock. Perhaps now its fine but the problem is moot now. You can already run cell base stations now off of hardware that costs less than $1000.

2. This is fine as long as i can write high level code and have a compiler do the translation. Otherwise, there exists now sufficient compute power in a low swap package to do the necessary processing.

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#15

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 07, 2025, 4:28 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#16

Post by antonkal » Tue, Jan 07, 2025, 4:28 PM UTC

Working full time while pursuing a PhD?? How?

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#17

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jan 07, 2025, 4:29 PM UTC

ipunchghosts wrote: post #10

tg180 wrote: post #9

> But the current structure of defense funding makes this nearly impossible. VC-backed defense startups aren't the answer either. They're making the same mistakes - small compute, off-the-shelf models, requiring relocation from experienced 40+ year old scientists who won't move. They're essentially just spending the money the government can't, without solving the fundamental issues. Have you tried to express your per…

Yes. The problem is darpa PMs only have a 4 year window. They also have a limited budget of about 80 million. They also have to pitch a program to get hired into darpa and then further have to get buy in from darpa brass to move ahead with thier portfolio. Moreover, darpa is not the airforce, army, navy, ect. Just because darpa makes the widget doesn't mean anyone has to use it. Also working for darpa is a difficult…

[deleted]

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#18

Post by idermoth » Tue, Jan 07, 2025, 6:25 PM UTC

Do you, by chance, write regularly anywhere or anything? Would greatly appreciate following along.

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#19

Post by ipunchghosts » Tue, Jan 07, 2025, 7:47 PM UTC

antonkal wrote: post #16

Working full time while pursuing a PhD?? How?

Honed time management skills and being very good at math. It was not easy. I have written about this but do not want to say where as to not dox myself to the group. but if you provide an email, im happy to chat with you.

Re: Tell HN: The Quiet Collapse of US Defense Research Infrastructure

#20

Post by ipunchghosts » Tue, Jan 07, 2025, 7:47 PM UTC

idermoth wrote: post #18

Do you, by chance, write regularly anywhere or anything? Would greatly appreciate following along.

i do but do not want to get doxxed until i found a job that I am okay with. If my employer found out about my writings, i worry my job would be at risk. feel free to send your email and i can reach out to you.