The Army recognized its Top Ten Greatest Inventions for 2007 in a ceremony late last week in Arlington, VA.

Each invention was selected by its impact on Army capabilities, inventiveness, and potential benefits outside the Army. 

Winning products were nominated by submission from the Army laboratory community.  Nine of the 10 recipients are elements of the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command.  All 10 of the inventions have been deployed.

Secretary of the Army Pete Geren made a surprise visit to the awards ceremony, helping to hand out awards and congratulate the winners.

Although numbered below to make reading easier, the inventions were not given priority over one another - they were just all lumped together as the top ten.

Without further ado, the Army's greatest inventions of 2007 were:

1. Improvised Explosive Device Interrogation Arm: The Interrogation Arm helps detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) from greater distances. An IED is a "homemade" explosive.  This includes suicide bombs, car bombs, and bombs in packages.

Soldiers can use the object from a distance of about 20-30 feet from inside a vehicle.  It can detect metal, free-and pry-lift objects, and even dig.  A camera allows the operator to view objects at the end of the Arm.

The Interrogation Arm provides a larger distance between the soldiers and the possible threat, and hence increases the level of survivability when interrogating suspects.   

2. Damage Control Resuscitation of Severely Injured Soldiers: This first-aid treatment helps to stop bleeding from injuries that cannot have pressure applied to them.  The traditional method is to give IV salt solutions in an amount that is three times the patient's blood volume.  If the patient keeps bleeding, then blood transfusions are added.

With Damage Control Resuscitation, salt solutions are limited, which keeps blood pressure from rising too high and "popping" newly formed blood clots.  In addition, blood volume is restored by using plasma and packed red blood cells as the primary fluid.

3. Unmanned Aircraft System Shadow 200 Communications Relay System (CRS): Improving communications beyond the range limits of single-channel ground and system radios, the CRS improves two-way communications.  It provides enhanced situational awareness, call-for-fire capability, and "imminent danger" communication to soldiers.

4. HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer (HEAT):  This simulator program teaches soldiers how to react in a vehicle rollover situation.  A replica Humvee cab that physically rolls soldiers over, HEAT trains soldiers how to open safety restrains and exit  Humvees from several rotated positions.

Since HEAT was instituted, the survival rate for rollover incidents has increased.  It is now required for all soldiers.

5. Reconnaissance Vehicle System:  A reconnaissance vehicle is a fast armored military vehicle with four-wheel drive and an open top.  This new armored vehicle system combines explosive device detection, defeat, and interrogation capabilities.  It gives soldiers the chance to observe and engage threats from a greater distance.

6. Objective Gunner Protection Kit (O-GPK):  O-GPK is a turret mounted on armed vehicles and provides gunners all-over protection from things such as bomb fragments and small arms fire. Soldiers can rotate the turret and gun using a joystick (and our parents told us playing videogames was a waste of time), which reduces distraction.

7. Picatinny Blast Shield for Light Armored Vehicle (PBS): While the O-GPK protects gunners on top of the vehicles, the PBS protects the vehicles themselves.  It is transparent armor mounted onto vehicles to provide front, side and rear protection.

8. XM982 Excalibur Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile: Excalibur is not a sword this time, but an artillery shell.  A "smart" round, Excalibur provides precision guidance, extended range and greater accuracy through an automatic update of the navigation system.

9. M110 7.62 mm Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS): This is a semi-automatic rifle that is ammo configurable, and has quick change magazines that enable a suppressed, increased rate of precision lethality against personnel and light material targets.

10. Self Protective Adaptive Roller Kit (SPARK): SPARK is a new type of armor that, when attached to a vehicle, provides protection against pressure-activated or victim operated explosive devices.   A pressure-activated explosive is a type of IED that is activated by a pressure switch that activates when a vehicle drives over it, like a landmine.  A victim-operated bomb is an explosive with a type of switch that has to be activated by the actions of an unsuspecting individual.