Robotics and Autonomous Coordination Lab

The Robotics and Autonomous Coordination Lab provides the majority of academic computing needs of the Autonomous Systems track in CS. The lab is used for teaching and research in the development of autonomous systems which self-organize towards a mission goal.

Cross-disciplinary work with ME and EE robotics projects may also be supported by providing asset for studying autonomous behavior control where other ME/EE labs provide hardware and systems platforms.

The Tactical Networked Communication Architecture Design (TaNCAD) lab at NPS focuses on developing advanced network architecture, protocols, and test/analysis tools for challenged communication environments, particularly those found in the tactical domain. 

Primary faculty are Justin Rohrer, Geoffrey Xie, and Robert Beverly.

More information can be found here:

• Website: TaNCAD 
• Welcome to the TaNCAD Wiki!
• NPS YouTube Channel - Interview of Dr. Rohrer

Introductory PC Network Lab

This lab provides facilities for instruction in introductory network topics. The required equipment allows students to implement campus- and enterprise-like networks. While the majority of students taking the course this lab primarily serves are from CS, there are usually a small number from other related disciplines each section.

Introductory Computer Security Lab

This lab is primarily used by the Center for Information Security Studies and Research (CISR). It is an "air-gapped" lab dedicated to studies of network vulnerabilities, intrusion detection, secure system management and computer forensics; where tools used by administrators and hackers can be freely researched and studied. Students are given full administrator privileges on the computers so that multiple operating systems and tools can be loaded and experimented with. Also used in certifying that students have met the requirements for educational standards published by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS).

Computer Information Security (CISR) Lab

Primarily used by INFOSEC and CIST. It is dedicated to the studies of information assurance, computer security, high assurance system architecture and authentication. Used to introduce students to studies in high assurance systems, steganography, public key infrastructure, mandatory access control, viruses, covert channels and the reference monitor concept. Students taking the course this lab primarily serves are from several departments across campus.

Public Key Infrastructure Lab

This TR computer lab is primarily used by the Center for Information Security Studies and Research (CISR). This lab is dedicated to studies of network security, secure computer systems, an security policies, modeling, and formal methods. In addition through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPS), it is utilized for the Inter-Service Academy Cyber Defense Exercise (CDX): This annual exercise involving NPS, AFIT, and all four U.S. Service Academies; acting as network defenders (Blue Teams) against network attackers (Red Teams) from NSA, and DoD Information Warfare agencies. Each exercise involves approximately 32 students who spend over 640 man-hours to: install, configure, harden, and operate the defended Blue network against a week-long attack from the Red forces. Installation and configuration starts approximately four months prior to that attack. Students are given administrator/root privileges to install and configure: e-mail, Web, FTP, VTC, DNS, and SQL database servers. Students install and utilize DoD PKI certificates to digitally sign and encrypt sensitive exercise traffic. This lab also directly supports DoD funded research on DoD Public Key servers. Students install and utilize DoD PKI certificates to digitally sign and encrypt sensitive exercise traffic. This lab also directly supports DoD funded research on DoD Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Courses are populated by and student research supported for primarily CS and IS students.

Software Engineering Lab

Research Laboratory dedicated to the support of reimbursable and direct-funded basic and applied research projects. CAPS, Computer Aided Programming Software. Development of tools and systems for the creation of software. The SwE lab also supports software engineering aspects of other joint research projects with Systems engineering, defense analysis and information systems departments.

Wireless and Mobile Computing Lab

The wireless and mobile computing lab provides the majority of academic computing needs to support the wireless and mobile computing track within the department of Computer Science. This lab provides students the opportunity to program and examine security aspects of mobile computing devices ranging from personal digital assistants (PDAs) through cellular phones.

Key involvement links with the Center for the Study of Mobile Devices and Communications.  Their research agenda is network security, network management, productivity, grids, location-based computing, context-aware computing, transforming technology for 21st century warefare, electronic signatures, wireless propagation, wireless signals inteligence, navy-specific applications, electromagnetic interference and compatibility, and heterogenous wireless testbed. 

Key participants are Dr. Gurminder Singh, Charles Prince, Chris Eagle, Dr. Tom Housel, Dr. John McEachen, and Dr. Dennis Volpano.

More information can be found here:

• Center for the Study of Mobile Devices and Communication

Laptop Lab

The Laptop lab is designed for courses that can be more effectively taught when students have "administrator" privileges. These courses include all CS core courses; however, the laptop program specifically targets Operating Systems, Compiler writing and all programming classes. Student users are primarily CS/MOVES, but all CS course students including those from other currics have access to lab assets when taking a CS course.

Forensics Exploitation Lab

Research laboratory dedicated to the support of reimbursable and direct funded basic and applied research projects. Primary work is done with new techniques for automatically processing data recovered from disk drives and other kinds of storage devices. Using forensic techniques the data on a hard drive can reveal who used or broke into a computer system, what it was used for or what was done during a break-in, and the identities of those in question. The lab is new and has potential application for cross disciplinary work with EE and IS at the tech creation level and DA at the consumption of recovered data level.

Participants involved in this research are:

Bruce Allen, Mike Bailey, Tom Batcha, Doug Horner, Michael McCarrin, and Brittney Ramsey

SCIF Security Lab

Research laboratory dedicated to the support of reimbursable and direct funded basic and applied research projects that are required to be conducted in high security compartmented classification on dedicated air-gapped hardware/networks.

Biometrics Research Lab

Research laboratory dedicated to the support of reimbursable and direct funded basic and applied research projects. It is a planned new lab for stand-up in FY09. The lab will support the new NPS Identity Management certificate series jointly hosted between CS and IS.