What is the ISN?

The ISN was established in 2002 as one of MIT's special labs and centers — a University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) sponsored by the US Army.
A Venn diagram showing the ISN at the junction of MIT, the Army, and industry

As one of 15 DOD UARCs, and one of four UARCs sponsored by the Army, the ISN contract is administered and overseen by the Army Research Office (ARO), a part of the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL), under the auspices of the US Army Futures Command.

On behalf of MIT, oversight of the ISN is provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research, which has overall responsibility for research administration and policy at MIT.

ISN team members collaborate on basic research to create new materials, devices, processes, and systems, and on applied research to transition promising results toward practical products useful to the Soldier.

Army members of Team ISN also give guidance on Soldier protection and survivability needs, and the relevancy of research proposed to address these needs.

Army and industry partners share their expertise on how to convert promising outcomes of fundamental research into practical products that work in harmony with other Soldier technologies, and which can be manufactured affordably in the quantities needed by our Soldiers.

Collaborations help identify dual-use applications for ISN-derived technologies for firefighters, police officers, other first responders, and, indeed, the civilian community at large.