TAMPA, Fla. -- The University of South Florida is celebrating a new contract with the US Army to develop new technologies from the battlefield to the homefront.

USF’S Institute of Applied Engineering and the US Army’s Developmental Command have entered in to an agreement where USF will work to develop new technology and make it a reality for soldiers.

The 5-year contract is worth $85 million.

During a tour of the USF labs this week, work was being done to develop virtual reality, devices to help injured soldiers recover, drone technology and AI and machine learning.

"The world-class faculty, staff and students at the University of South Florida will develop bold solutions that have a lasting impact not only on the defense sector and those who serve our country, but also on everyday life," President Rhea Law said. "Their discoveries and innovations will help protect our soldiers, strengthen our infrastructure, secure our digital future and enhance the safety and security of all Americans."

CEO of USF’s Institute of Applied Engineering Taylor Johnston is a 21-year Air Force veteran and says developing new tech and quickly implementing it will be the biggest challenge of the contract.

“I flew a 70-year-old airplane as my last assignment,†said Johnston. “So making sure that those rapid advancements and stuff that is at the cutting edge of technology into war fighters hands as they go out the door is vital. I saw it day after day over 21 years.â€

Facilitated by the USF Institute of Applied Engineering, faculty in the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing will lead many of the initiatives, including those with an expertise in large language models and human performance.

“ARL will expand its access to science and engineering-driven research in a secure environment while we connect that work directly with service members across the Army and broader Department of Defense,†said Adam Rawlett, senior materials scientist for the Army. “The convergence of service member expertise with Army scientists at a major research university will be a game changer for the acceleration and implementation of future Army needs.â€

The contract will focus on 16 core competencies:

“This is really the next stage of our growth,†said Darren Schumacher, president and CEO for the USF Institute of Applied Engineering. “Our world just got a lot bigger.â€