AFWERX program backs new know-how for emergency groups and army wildfire efforts
Picogrid and the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how (MIT) Mission Innovation X (MIx) have been awarded a $1.75 million contract by way of the U.S. Division of the Air Drive’s innovation program, AFWERX. The objective of the undertaking is to develop new methods to assist emergency and army groups reply extra successfully to wildfires.
The award was made below the Small Enterprise Know-how Switch (STTR) Part II program. This program helps partnerships between small companies and analysis establishments to create new options for nationwide protection.
Wildfires proceed to be a significant risk in the USA. Army groups usually work alongside native and state authorities to handle hearth emergencies. The brand new know-how developed by Picogrid and MIT will assist this mission.
Jake Jeffries, Technical Program Supervisor at Picogrid, said: “Wildfires pose a critical risk to DoD installations, and the army has persistently performed a significant position in responding to them throughout the U.S. Our know-how allows Air Drive finish customers, reminiscent of hearth departments, to deploy compact and transportable sensor packages that stream real-time full-motion video again to command facilities. That is invaluable for monitoring lively wildfires, deterring crime, and supporting emergency response efforts.”
Quick Deployment and Lengthy-Time period Help
Picogrid’s instruments are already in use at places reminiscent of Vandenberg House Drive Base. The corporate delivered Helios, a cell sensor system, in below 24 hours.
“At Vandenberg House Drive Base, as an illustration, we delivered our Helios {hardware} in below 24 hours. Helios supplied cell and quickly deployable capabilities with below 15-minute setup to ascertain persistent surveillance in susceptible areas. This provides to our a number of Lander platforms already in use at Vandenberg for long-duration missions to get early situational consciousness of native fires. Given each Helios and Lander are absolutely unbiased of the present energy grid and communication infrastructure, we’ve ensured operational reliability in austere circumstances. What units us aside is our deal with info interoperability throughout army, state, municipal, and different hearth departments,” mentioned Jeffries.
The Lander platform additionally helps dispersed sensors by offering energy and communications in distant or rugged places.
A Unified View for All Stakeholders
Picogrid’s software program helps deliver collectively information from many varieties of sensors. This permits emergency response groups and command facilities to view all info in a single place.
Zane Mountcastle, CEO of Picogrid, defined:
“Picogrid’s platform creates a single pane of glass for emergency operations by consolidating information from dispersed sensors and enabling it to be shared by way of open APIs. The objective is to make the identical info accessible to many stakeholders concurrently, whether or not they’re within the workplace or engaged on cell gadgets within the discipline.”
The deal with open entry and ease of sharing helps be certain that everybody concerned—from federal companies to native responders—can work from the identical real-time information.
Concerning the Program
The Air Drive Analysis Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX created the STTR and SBIR applications to deliver small enterprise innovation to the Division of the Air Drive. These applications purpose to scale back delays, assist new concepts, and assist firms ship options sooner.
Since 2018, the “Open Subject” program has expanded the varieties of know-how the Air Drive is prepared to fund. The partnership with Picogrid and MIT MIx displays this effort to strengthen nationwide protection by way of versatile, fast-moving know-how growth.
Because the press launch notes, “The views expressed are these of the creator and don’t essentially mirror the official coverage or place of the Division of the Air Drive, the Division of Protection, or the U.S. authorities.”
About Picogrid
Picogrid is a protection know-how firm centered on connecting sensors, autonomous automobiles, and other people by way of a unified software program platform. With places in El Segundo, CA, and Lawton, OK, the corporate helps army and enterprise clients worldwide.
About AFRL
The Air Drive Analysis Laboratory leads science and know-how analysis for the Air Drive. It has over 12,500 staff members working throughout air, area, and our on-line world domains.
About AFWERX
AFWERX is the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Drive. Since 2019, it has awarded greater than 6,200 contracts to assist deliver new applied sciences to protection operations.
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