August 2021, Volume 23 – Number 8 • cotsjournalonline.com
The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing
JOURNAL
The New Machine Learning Method for the Military – Evolved AI Evolving Artificial Intelligence Continues to Challenge Defense Strategies
The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing COTS (kots), n. 1. Commercial off-the-shelf. Terminology popularized in 1994 within U.S. DoD by SECDEF Wm. Perry’s “Perry Memo” that changed military industry purchasing and design guidelines, making Mil-Specs acceptable only by waiver. COTS is generally defined for technology, goods and services as: a) using commercial business practices and specifications, b) not developed under government funding, c) offered for sale to the general market, d) still must meet the program ORD. 2. Commercial business practices include the accepted practice of customer-paid minor modification to standard COTS products to meet the customer’s unique requirements.
JOURNAL
—Ant. When applied to the procurement of electronics for he U.S. Military, COTS is a procurement philosophy and does not imply commercial, office environment or any other durability grade. E.g., rad-hard components designed and offered for sale to the general market are COTS if they were developed by the company and not under government funding.
SPECIAL FEATURES 16
By Davey Brooks
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT 20
DEPARTMENTS
The New Machine Learning Method for the Military – Evolved AI
Evolving Artificial Intelligence Continues to Challenge Defense Strategies
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Publisher’s Note Engineering a sea change in ocean wave energy harvesting
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The Inside Track
By John Reardon, Publisher
COT’S PICKS 24
Editor’s Choice for August
Cover Image Cygnus awaits its capture above the Atlantic Ocean iss065e241343 (Aug. 12, 2021) - Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter awaits its capture with the Canadarm2 robotic arm operated operated NASA by Flight Engineer Megan McArthur. The International Space Station was orbiting 261 miles above the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil at the time of this photograph. COTS Journal | August 2021
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The Journal of Military Electronics & Computing
JOURNAL EDITORIAL
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COTS Journal | August 2021
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Stephen Germino, Media Relations & PR, Director/Vicor Corporation
Engineering a sea change in ocean wave energy harvesting C-Power autonomous offshore power systems promise to unlock new marine applications through efficient energy delivery and remote, high-bandwidth communications The ability to harness ocean wave energy is a rapidly evolving field that marine engineers are refining to provide reliable, costeffective maritime energy generation and storage while enabling new forms of offshore data and communication services. Columbia Power Technologies, Inc. (C-Power), a global leader in wave energy systems based in Corvallis, Oregon, is helping to expand the marine economy by providing reliable, cost-effective energy generation and storage, data, and communication services for offshore assets. C-Power autonomous offshore power systems (AOPS) capture mechanical wave energy and convert it into usable power for a wide range of oceanic applications such as offshore oil and gas exploration and production, offshore carbon sequestration, oceanographic research, aquaculture, and homeland defense. Harvesting ocean energy on the kilowatt scale Founded in 2005, C-Power has evolved its focus as its expertise in the burgeoning field of oceanic energy harvesting has grown (Figure 1). While other companies pursue large, megawatt systems, C-Power focuses on remote, kilowatt-scale power for offshore data communications networks, initially through a DARPA project called Wave Energy Buoy Systems (WEBS). Through the WEBS project, C-Power discovered a nascent opportunity in the form of localized power generation for underwater vehicles, subsea operating equipment, and openocean sensors used to collect environmental data. Previously, 6
COTS Journal | August 2021
Figure 1: While much attention has been paid to advancement in solar and wind power technology, C-Power is a pioneer in efficiently harnessing ocean wave engery to enable new forms of offshore applications including oil and gas exploration and production, offshore carbon sequestration, oceanographic research, aquaculture, and homeland defence.
power for these applications was generated using expensive, cumbersome, non-rechargeable onboard batteries or subsea electric tethers fed from a ship or diesel generator. With the development of AOPS, C-Power opened the door to unimagined new applications by supplying an autonomous, environmentally friendly, ocean-borne power source capable of doubling as a communications conduit. SeaRAY enhances power efficiency and data communication The latest AOPS platform, known as the SeaRAY, is key to the near-term focus of C-Power to produce power systems that generate 10W to 1MW from ocean waves. To achieve its goals at the lower end of the power spectrum, C-Power created a SeaRAY AOPS design with a high power-to-weight ratio using power conversion technology from Vicor Corporation. The small design footprint enhances mobility and commercial viability, making SeaRAY easier to deliver and set up, saving tens of thousands of dollars in daily operating costs. “We really needed wide-range DC-DC, something that we could control and regulate as we’re converting pulsed ocean wave power into a semi-stable DC bus,” said Joe Prudell, a C-Power
Figure 2: The SeaRAY design makes remote, autonomous data communications possible by sending information from the ocean to the cloud. Using cellular networks and satellite communications to pass data in real-time between the cloud and the SeaRAY AOPS allows more and richer data to be collected and delivered more often.
senior R&D electrical engineer. “This is extremely challenging. Being able to do that at various power levels using Vicor’s power modules really is an advantage.” The SeaRAY design also makes autonomous, remote data communications possible by transmitting what happens in the ocean to the cloud in real-time. Previously, marine datagathering systems have been limited in the breadth and frequency of data collection. Using cellular networks and satellite communications to pass data in real-time between the cloud and the SeaRAY allows more and richer data to be collected and delivered more often (Figure 2). Harvesting energy from a constantly shifting power source The key power design challenge for C-Power was to reconcile complex ocean wave energy properties with the demanding power conversion requirements of the SeaRAY. This included an ultra-wide 30:1 input range, which reflects the unpredictable nature of ocean waves. The Vicor Power Systems design team delivered a system capable of converting power with high efficiency and charging energy storage devices. The unit is also capable of accepting external control signals from the C-Power system to match precise power conversion needs in real-time. “The ability to convert a very nasty power profile into a costeffective, practical solution, and then condition that power and turn it into usable energy for a wide range of mobile and static payloads, is really on the leading edge,” said C-Power CEO Reenst Lesemann. “There’s nobody else that’s been able to do that yet.” The scalable power design of the SeaRAY uses Vicor BCM® fixed-ratio bus converters and PRM™ regulator modules with complex multistage discrete converters to efficiently convert turbulent, unpredictable wave energy and provide controlled
Figure 3: SeaRAY uses the Vicor BCM® fixed-ratio bus converter and PRM™ regulator modules with complex multistage discrete converters to efficiently convert wave energy and provide controlled power. Using power modules Vicor developed a power delivery network that improved the SeaRAY conversion efficiency from 50% to over 90%.
power. This enabled C-Power to increase the SeaRAY design’s conversion efficiency from about 50 percent to a range of 85 to 94 percent. The use of stable, wide-input Vicor DC-DC converters provided C-Power much-needed control as the SeaRAY converts pulsed ocean wave power into a varying DC bus while still producing a constant current at various power levels. In addition, the power conversion topologies used in Vicor modules help to minimize electromagnetic interference and noise onboard the SeaRAY that could otherwise compromise sensor measurement accuracy. “There are plenty of companies trying to capture and convert wave energy, but it’s another thing to do something in a small, compact form factor and still satisfy what customers need from an operational and logistics perspective,” Lesemann said. “That’s where we, with Vicor’s assistance, have been able to stick our chins out so much further than everyone else.”
The SeaRAY design also makes autonomous, remote data communications possible by transmitting what happens in the ocean to the cloud in real-time. COTS Journal | August 2021
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British AI tech firm Kortical beats Google as it helps drive revenues for business Kortical has improved the success rate of machine learning implementation 10x for business David vs Goliath: Kortical is configuring machine learning algorithms faster and making them learn better than Google’s Vertex, helping companies with a first-mover advantage
Growth: Kortical to raise an investment round in 2021 as growth hits 300% year-on-year helping more businesses adopt machine learning technology A British AI tech start-up Kortical, which helps companies use machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, has improved 10x their success rate of generating positive outcomes across their organizations vs the industry average. Companies use ML and AI to help predict demand for their products and services, for pricing and an array of business decisions yet only 9% of these tech implementations are ROI positive. Kortical’s platform can quickly absorb the data sets of any company and creates algorithms that offer strategic and commercial insights for
them. Saving them time and investment in largescale tech deployments, the platform has delivered 92% ROI positive outcomes for the business. Last month, Google released its latest offering Vertex AI and Kortical is already outperforming them and has been since they first went head to head in 2019 at the Schroder’s Datathon. Kortical tested both platforms using well-known public datasets from Kaggle and another from a real-life client. Data was funneled through both and overall Kortical averaged 2.47% better across all datasets and 10.75% better on the real-life customer data. This difference in performance would mean the project that resulted in a £500k saving on Kortical would have not been viable on Vertex due to subhuman performance and would be another failed project statistic. Furthermore, Kortical was also 7 times faster to create the results vs Google’s Vertex AI. Andy Gray, CEO, and co-founder at Kortical commented: “At the moment businesses are still in the early days of the machine learning gold rush, where you can crest a hill and stumble upon a nugget. Better ML accelerators are like
better metal detectors helping you find those nuggets faster.” Kortical is working with a wide range of customers across industries, from saving 54% on the blood supply chain waste for the NHS, to enabling faster and more impactful ML project delivery for Capita, to “significant operational efficiencies” through back-office automation of tax processes at Deloitte and hyper-personalized marketing with Hyundai. As well as working with smaller start-ups. “Initially it was really only the big players that were the early adopters, where they had the luxury to experiment with new technology and those experiments have turned into significant business so increasingly we’re seeing smaller businesses that recognize the strategic advantage and huge potential of ML to really distance themselves from their competitors” added Andy Gray. Kortical came into existence because the founders Andy and Alex were trying to create an AI product but as they engaged different customers, they found that the data was always a little different and they needed to keep building new models but that the process was slow, error-prone and repetitive. Kortical is the culmination of 7 years of trying to take the pain out of creating enterprise-ready AI and ML solutions, quickly and easily but with enough control that expert users can still create exactly what they want. Kortical helps companies that have data sets and a business problem they want to solve. Kortical works with tabular, NLP, and time-series data and can take you right through to live ML web applications or self-learning API-based services. Some of the most popular use cases are back-office automation, demand prediction, and hyper-personalized marketing.
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A new framework of platform management features for COM-HPC based edge computing designs
PICMG releases Platform Management Interface specification for COM-HPC
PICMG announces the release of the COMHPC Platform Management Interface (PMI) specification. It provides a framework of remote and out-of-band platform management features for COM-HPC Computer-on-Module-based edge computing designs and is freely available on the PICMG website. COM-HPC is an open Computer-On-Module (COM) form factor standard for High-Performance Computing (HPC) that combines high-end I/O bandwidth with edge computing performance levels. Standard COM-HPC modules plug into an application-specific carrier board (aka baseboard) and offer OEMs an application-ready computing core to accelerate design cycles, reduce NRE costs and increase ROI as well as sustainability by extending longevity options beyond a certain processor family or module vendor.
“The dedicated modular system management interface, which gives remote management access to embedded systems – even out-of-band – is another industry first introduced by COMHPC,” explains Christian Eder of congatec, the chairman of the COM-HPC committee. “Thanks to this feature, OEMs, and users will be able to ensure highest levels of reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety (RAMS) for their worldwide deployments of distributed network infrastructure equipment and edge/fog computing servers as well as IIoT gateways and clients. For individual needs, these COM functions can be expanded via an optional board management controller on the carrier board. This provides OEMs with a modular framework of uniform remote management functions that can be flexibly scaled to specific requirements.” The COM-HPC PMI specification is a supplement to the COM-HPC open standard and serves as a guide on how to achieve interoperability between COM-HPC modules from different vendors and combinations of carrier boards. It adapts the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) specifications to COM-HPC de-
signs and also touches the implementation of Redfish features. IPMI is a collection of side-band/out-ofband management commands that are used for system interaction. IPMI firmware generally runs on a board management controller, a discrete integrated circuit that is accessed via a network connection and/or serial interface, and/or LPC/ eSPI. Redfish, a standard managed by DMTF, provides a Representational State Transfer (RESTful) interface for the management of systems. Redfish is still under active development, and it continues to evolve as new use cases are discovered. The COM-HPC PMI document describes three different PMI maturity levels for modules and two for carrier boards. The modules’ PMI maturity levels range from the unmanaged module (M.U) and basic managed modules (M.B) to fully managed modules (M.F), and carrier board levels range from unmanaged (C.U) to managed carrier boards (C.M). The goal of specifying these different levels is to allow interoperability between multiple modules and carrier board designs.
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GA-ASI Secures Prime Positions on New Astro Contract Vehicle
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. secured nine prime positions on the new General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Systems Integration Management Center (FEDSIM) ASTRO – a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle geared towards the needs of the Department of Defense and the U.S. military.
The contract vehicle’s scope includes operations, maintenance, readiness, development, research and development, hardware, and systems integration of manned, unmanned, and optionally manned systems, robotics, and platforms, as well as the services that support those systems, robotics, and platforms within the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission (ISR) area. There is no ceiling value assigned to ASTRO, and associated contracts are projected
to support a 10-year ordering period. GA-ASI secured prime positions in nine of the 10 available pools: Data Operations; Mission Operations; Aviation; Space; Maritime; Development and Systems Integration; Research and Development; Support; and Training. Inclusion in these pools allows GAASI to broaden its capability offerings, leveraging decades of expertise delivering unmatched ISR platforms and services to now providing engineering, training, intelligence, test, and evaluation services to U.S. government customers. “We have decades of experience manufacturing and delivering the world’s most sought after remotely piloted aircraft, and supporting the ISR needs of the nation in some of the most complex environments imaginable,” said Sr. Vice President for MQ-9 Systems Fred Darlington. “With ASTRO, we’ll be able to offer our expertise to warfighters in new and exciting ways that bring value and minimize operational risk.”
U.S. Air Force Awards DiSTI Three Basic Ordering Agreements The DiSTI Corporation receives Basic Ordering Agreement from the U.S. Air Force to support Immersive Learning initiatives within the Air Education and Training Command. The DiSTI Corporation, the world’s leading provider of virtual maintenance training solutions, has been selected by the United States Air Force for three 5-year Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) contract awards for both Commercial and non-Commercial Research & Development for Live, Virtual, and Constructive Training Environments, as well as Big Data Analytics. “DiSTI is proud to be given additional opportunities to serve our warfighters and support the United States Air Force as they develop and deploy immersive training ini10
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tiatives” said DiSTI CEO John Hayward. “We look forward to working closely with the Air Education and Training Command to continue DiSTI’s legacy of pioneering transformative solutions.” These BOAs continue DiSTI’s work of providing the United States Air Force with customized training solutions. Out of 58 submissions from 38 vendors,
The DiSTI Corporation was one of 16 vendors selected in the category of a commercial suite of Live, Virtual, and Construction Training Environments, one of 11 selected in the non-commercial Research and Development Live, Virtual, and Construction Training Environments category, and one of 17 in the commercial suite of Big Data Analytics category.
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US Special Operations Command Awards L3Harris Technologies $96 Million Contract for WESCAM MX™-Series Sensors and Support
Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “This is an important step in our longterm investment strategy to improve sensor technologies in support of our Army Aviation customers’ mission success.”
The U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded L3Harris Technologies a 5-year, $96 million IDIQ contract to procure WESCAM MX™-electro-optical, infrared, and laser designator sensor suites and services.
L3Harris WESCAM MX-Series products have successfully supported U.S. Army aviation programs for more than 20 years. This contract marks the second airborne sensor program win with the U.S. Army in three years. The first was
a $454 million, multi-year IDIQ contract that included WESCAM MX-10D EO/IR sensor suites to support the Army’s Tactical Unmanned Air Systems Shadow UAV (RQ-7Bv2) program.
L3Harris’ WESCAM MX-10D and WESCAM MX-15D sensor systems will provide multi-spectral imaging and designation capabilities for various aircraft within the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command inventory. “We’re honored that the U.S. Army has selected our next-generation electro-optics and infrared sensors to support their sensor modernization strategy and we look forward to providing the warfighter this capability that’s ideally suited to their rotary-wing operations,” said Sean
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U.S. Army Ground Vehicles Systems Center Taps Calnetix Technologies to Develop High-Frequency Inverters for Future Ground Combat Vehicles
Calnetix Technologies’ Defense and Aerospace Division has been selected by the United States Army Ground Vehicles Systems Center (GVSC) for the design and development of a 500kW bi-directional inverter. The high-frequency and power-dense inverter will be demonstrated in the medium-sized Robotic Combat Vehicles (RCV-M) and Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) variants as a part of the Platform Electrification and Mobility (PEM) effort.
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Calnetix’s proposed solution was selected based on the company’s extensive experience with existing wide-band-gap silicon carbide (SiC) two-level inverters with voltages up to 4,160 volts and power levels exceeding 1 megawatt. By leveraging this existing architecture and control scheme, Calnetix will design the 500-kW PEM inverter to meet the requirements specified by the U.S. Army. “As the world shifts toward higher efficiency and green solutions, Calnetix has shifted with it by leveraging emerging wide-band-gap technologies, such as SiC switches in its power management systems,” said Vatche Artinian, CEO of Calnetix Technologies. “The PEM invert-
er will provide high-temperature operation and power density, high system efficiency of up to 98.5 percent, and unmatched power levels and durability for the harsh environments of the U.S. Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems.” Calnetix’s PEM inverters, using SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) technology, will drive traction motors and pair with hybrid electric generators to provide mobility and on-board electrical power to ground combat vehicles, enabling a stepchange in vehicle performance and operability. The company will deliver several inverters during the multi-year technology development phase.
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Rad Hard Gallium Nitride (GaN) Power Devices from EPC Space Selected by Astranis for Geostationary Satellites
EPC Space is providing Rad Hard GaN power devices to Astranis for use in the latest build of new small geostationary communications satellites.
EPC Space announces that it has been selected by Astranis to provide Rad Hard gallium nitride-based power devices for use in DC power supplies on the latest satellite build. Astranis announced earlier that it has started to build four new small geostationary communications satellites, three of which are already spoken for signed deals with new, yet-to-beannounced customers. This new build of Astranis satellites is expected to offer a 15% greater lifetime and 20% greater throughput than the first-generation model, without increasing satellite hardware costs.
Astranis is building small, low-cost telecommunications satellites to connect the four billion people who currently do not have access to the internet. Each spacecraft operates from geostationary orbit (GEO) with a next-generation design of only 400 kg. By owning and operating its satellites and offering them to customers as a turnkey solution, Astranis can provide bandwidth-as-a-service
and unlock previously unreachable markets. The Rad Hard GaN power devices that EPC Space is providing to Astranis provide high precision, small size, low weight, and can withstand the harsh environment of space. “We are honored that Astranis has selected EPC Space as a trusted vendor to provide Rad Hard GaN for their geostationary satellites” commented Bel Lazar, CEO. “This program will add to the tens of thousands of our units already on board of satellites flying in LEO and GEO orbit with mission lives of more than 10 years.”
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Percepio and Lauterbach Announce Collaboration for Faster Debugging
Percepio®, the leader in visual trace diagnostics for embedded systems and the Internet of Things (IoT), and Lauterbach, the leading supplier of complete, modular, and upgradeable microprocessor development tools, announce their cooperation to achieve faster debugging through closer integration between Percepio Tracealyzer® and Lauterbach’s series of TRACE32® high-end tracing tools. The first result of this cooperation is an integration that allows Lauterbach users on Arm Cortex-M microprocessors to live stream software trace data into Percepio Tracealyzer, providing visual trace diagnostics for accelerated debugging and verification. The solution is described in a recent application note from
Spectra Aerospace and Defense Acquires Galleon Embedded Computing Galleon Embedded Computing has announced its involvement in a recent strategic alignment. Effective immediately, Galleon is now part of Spectra Aerospace and Defense, LLC (“Spectra”). The Spectra Group is a newly formed entity that consists of four companies – Galleon Embedded Computing, Calculex, Argon Corporation, and FDS Avionics. This alignment will significantly increase Galleon’s portfolio of capabilities, allowing them to better serve its valued customers and its mission. 14
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Percepio and leverages the Percepio trace recorder library, supporting e.g. FreeRTOS and SAFERTOS®. “Lauterbach is pleased to have started a collaboration with Percepio. It gives our customers the great benefit of using the non-intrusive high-speed tracing capabilities of TRACE32 in combination with the in-detail trace analysis of Tracealyzer. It’s a perfect fit to find bugs and defects that are difficult to detect, such as race conditions or sporadic timing issues,” said Norbert Weiss, Managing Director of Lauterbach GmbH. “We see tremendous potential in using high-end tracing solutions such as Lauterbach TRACE32 and µTrace together with the advanced visualization in Percepio Tracealyzer. Our Lauterbach integration allows
“Collectively, the Spectra group has over a half-century of expertise in rugged computing products, flight recorders, peripherals for a variety of military applications, and even business jet cabin management solutions,” said Espen Bøch, Galleon’s CEO. “We look
Tracealyzer users to record runtime data at unprecedented speeds using the Lauterbach µTrace for Arm Cortex-M,” said Johan Kraft, CEO, Percepio. “It also allows existing Lauterbach users to achieve a new level of insight with Tracealyzer. The next step is to leverage hardware trace data in Tracealyzer to show more detailed information. We have a working solution in development, and we have been collaborating with Lauterbach on that for some time now.” Ultimately, the goal is to enable all Lauterbach customers to use visual trace diagnostics with Percepio Tracealyzer based on hardware trace data. The two companies already have joint customers asking for this capability and expect to announce further products during the second half of 2021.
forward to introducing them to Galleon’s customers very soon.” Galleon will continue to serve its customers with no change in organizational structure, leadership, or points of contact.
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Abaco Systems Selected to Support Upgrades to Turkish Naval Combat Management System
Abaco Systems announced an award of $1.5m, supporting a major Turkish defense contractor with their naval combat management system (CMS). This system is targeted into multiple ally naval ship programs and brings CMS capabilities including the control of sensors and weapons, Tactical Status Display, Navigation, Training, and simulation functions. This design win is an example of Abaco’s commitment to supporting warfighters on land, air, and sea by providing innovative designs that meet specific tech insertion demands of our customers.
tel® Core™ i7 processor. The P-SER is our native PMC form factor interface providing real-time serial input and output with high time-precision reception/input time-stamping, scheduled transmission/output, event triggering, and interrupt support. The naval ship’s various sensors will send information to the SBC627, while the P-SER will send communications to other PCs within the system. Each of these products will be utilized as an upgrade from a VME form factor to a VPX form factor.
Abaco was chosen based on our rugged designs, reliability, and ability to provide the customers with a tech insertion – providing for an upgrade path using the latest technology with very little impact on the overall system environment. In the past, the customer utilized our VME form factor boards, and movement to a VPX form factor required a tech insertion option. The customer will be purchasing 25 units a year over the next four years.
The design win contains three of Abaco’s products: the PEX442, the SBC627, and the P-SER. The PEX442 is an XMC carrier providing tech insertion for XMC boards that had been used in the previous VME based system. The SBC627 is Abaco’s 6U OpenVPX rugged single board computer featuring a 5th generation In-
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SPECIAL FEATURE
The New Machine Learning Method for the Military – Evolved AI By Davey Brooks Understanding the need for smarter, more advanced systems, the military has recently shifted its focus to artificial intelligence applications and functions. Although not a new concept, military adoption of AI has been a slow process given the unique challenges it encounters or faces. Traditional AI initiatives require large quantities of data and extended periods to fully educate and train a model. However, in a field dominated by data security and privacy, allowing important information to be shared between systems can cause unwanted breaches and safety concerns. Additionally, in environments where variables are constantly changing, traditional methods of AI rarely work fast
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enough to deploy a valid solution. This can mean the difference between life and death. The speed at which maintenance needs are met directly impacts a piece of equipment’s operational efficiency. In times of conflict, where combat readiness is crucial, unplanned breakdowns or failures and extended maintenance times can have a massively negative effect. In an active conflict, military personnel doesn’t have months for an AI model to learn whether a piece of equipment is performing optimally or is at risk of experiencing a failure. Variables change continuously which forces traditional models to revert to relearning everything,
including the operational baseline for how a piece of equipment should perform based on its specific attributes. Certain variables should not require re-learning in an AI model because they are based on physics principles that are and have been in use for years. For example, the principles of how an engine operates and performs at an optimal level are well-known and widely accepted. An effective AI model should not be required to re-learn these known variables. Traditional AI models don’t account for these known and unchanging variables relative to the optimal operation of the equipment. This
process of the model re-learning what is already known (through physics), significantly increases the time for creating and delivering accurate analysis, predictions on future operational states, and prescriptions for returning the equipment to its optimal state of operation.
entire analytics model. As a result, less data, and more importantly, less time, is required to perform the analysis, create the predictions and prescriptions, and deliver the results to the end-user. This makes the process significantly faster and much more secure.
An alternative to traditional AI methods, known as Evolved Artificial Intelligence™ (EAI), is changing the way military operations leverage real-time data. As its name suggests, EAI is an advanced, smarter form of AI. Instead of learning every variable from the ground up, EAI considers known or well-defined data when creating models and making calculations. Every asset has specific operational qualities known through the physics of the specific piece of equipment. This information, typically provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), outlines how an asset should operate, given its make, model, size, parts, and other “nameplate” specific information. For example, based on physics and the attributes of a specific engine, it is expected to perform a certain way to maintain optimal operations, regardless of where or how it’s being used. Because operational information is readily available, an EAI-based model doesn’t require time to “learn” or be trained on how an asset should be performing when operating at an optimal level. In the instance of active conflict, the timeline to receive actionable analytics is much shorter because the model performs calculations only on changes to current operational variables, as opposed to recalculating and training the
Evolved AI vs Traditional AI Evolved AI provides the ability to incorporate uncertainty or the “unknowns” of a situation into the analytics modeling process. Taking uncertainty into consideration, it reconciles them against simulations of potential outcomes. The uncertainty can be captured by the degree of fidelity the user has available. The combined use of simulations and statistical distributions not only weighs possible scenarios, but also the degree to which they’re likely to happen. Within the context of military equipment and vehicles, there are specific data points that could be considered fixed or definite. Provided the information is publicly available, a fixed data point would be how an asset should run based on its design, testing, and purpose. The undetermined aspect is how a piece is performing against its operational expectations. This is where data feeds to provide a view into what changes should be made or what maintenance actions should be performed. Whether the feed is real-time or not, the prescribed solution can be used to return an asset to its optimized operational state.
Incorporated “fixed” data encompasses more than just a broad generalization. For example, knowing a piece of equipment is an internal combustion engine is beneficial. However, knowing how many cylinders the engine has, as well as the manufacturer, allows the model to bake in asset-specific variables. Understanding what data is being fed into the AI model also allows for increased transparency, something traditional AI models typically cannot provide. Often, traditional AI models take a “black box” approach to calculating and learning data. Data is fed into a model and results are generated without the ability to audit, validate the results, or determine cause and effect. EAI provides clear lines between each point to explain how calculations were performed, how the results were derived, and likely outcomes created. Using data from the OEM, analytics can be performed on the exact specifications of an asset or piece of equipment as opposed to using generalities. When reconciled, the calculations show the variables considered, the correlation to other parts of the asset, and what a likely outcome will be. This provides greater visibility and decision-making capabilities to key stakeholders. Using established data points, EAI models can start performing evaluations and providing results in as little as a few days, significantly less time than other AI models which typically take months or more to train to deliver predictive and prescriptive analytics actions. COTS Journal | August 2021
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The data gathered through EAI is used to perform predictive and prescriptive analytics on equipment, systems, vehicles, and assets where monitoring and reporting will not suffice.
Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics The data gathered through EAI is used to perform predictive and prescriptive analytics on equipment, systems, vehicles, and assets where monitoring and reporting will not suffice. Understanding how an asset is performing in comparison to how it should be operating in an optimal state triggers a response in the model and communicates that a damaging
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event is going to take place soon, such as an engine failure or other catastrophic failure. The model will then prescribe what actions should be taken to return the asset to its optimal operational state. These predictive and prescriptive models can understand the relationship between the different components of an asset, providing insight into not only the
component’s operation but also how changes can impact other operational states within the overall system. EAI-based models have the unique ability to link the operations of independent, yet inter-related components to provide a holistic view of asset health. While low tire pressure seems like an easy-fix issue, the analytics model can correlate low tire
pressure to other operational conditions like gas mileage, engine temperature, braking ability, and other critical operations. Basic machine learning and AI lack the complexity to create, correlate and understand the relationship between separate systems, and as a result, fail to raise awareness of other potential issues which should be considered. Although evolved to be smarter, faster, and more accurate, EAI should be viewed as a foundational piece of a greater comprehensive system. EAI provides the basis for gathering, interpreting, and analyzing data, and allows for simplified integration with organizational ecosystems and platforms. Predictive and prescriptive analytics platforms can be deployed to navigate through high degrees of uncertainty, automate analysis through real-time data integration, provide clear visuals of cause and effect, and produce actionable results to enable faster decision-making and problem-solving.
The methodology behind EAI provides a transformational approach to military maintenance on the operation of assets and equipment. Historically, maintenance has been performed based on a preventative maintenance schedule, hours, miles, or other criteria. Most often, CBM is not correlated to the specifics of the equipment. As a result, maintenance on military assets is frequently performed either too early or too late, rather than at the optimal
time. Principles of EAI enable organizations to perform maintenance based on the performance of the equipment, operating conditions, climate, and numerous other variables that impact the availability and longevity of the asset. Because EAI is an approach to analytics, it’s able to work in conjunction with other platforms. When deployed, EAI can play a crucial role in maximizing the readiness, lifespan, and success of military vehicles.
Military Operation and Vehicle Efficiency Powered and supported by analytics platforms, software suites can be implemented to target specific operational needs, such as condition-based maintenance (CBM) for military vehicles. Using EAI, CBM software can continuously monitor the key elements of a vehicle and understand the relationship between those elements, enabling consistent vehicle health. Maintenance-focused software suites, like Lone Star Analysis’ MaxUp™ Fleet, can deliver predictions and prescriptions to maximize uptime, improve readiness and increase operational efficiency. This allows the system to foresee catastrophic system failure and improve maintenance and planning processes. The analytics platform works by supporting the analytics in real-time, processing data as it comes in, executing the model, and delivering the results to a dashboard where they can be viewed. Still, each output can be tied back to the EAI model input.
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SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Evolving Artificial Intelligence Continues to Challenge Defense Strategies By John Reardon, Publisher
Intelligence resources of all kinds contribute to changing landscape of defense.
The future is opening an array of ideas that are melding the use of Artificial Intelligence with defense in ways that challenge classical norms. The future will take advantage and make use of more publicly available open-source data to create a battle plan that is more efficient and less predictable. The fire hose of incoming data is changing the traditional practices employed and creating new opportunities. As threats are no longer constrained by geography, the internet has enabled attacks through cyberspace. Protected borders and geography have provided the United States with security in the past, but as we become more connected this is no longer the case. Today we can be attacked without a shot being fired from known and unknown advisories. The use of power is not what it used to be. Of course, wars fought with beans and bullets will continue, but the threat has expanded to include a whole other level of infrastructure and civil unrest. The United States
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as a leader in connectivity is both powerful and vulnerable at the same time. This has resulted in defense strategies that we have to understand and anticipate with a whole new array of threats. Beyond this the need to look beyond those that we believe to be our primary advisories, we must look to those that are non-state actors or domestic groups wishing to cause harm. The ability to configure data in helpful data sets continues to challenge the most advanced minds. As open-source information once thought to be ancillary to the primary information from front line sensors, is gaining greater prominence. Today the merge of data from social media and crowdsourcing has contributed significantly to identifying those that attacked the Capitol on January 6th as an example. It is the opinion of many that this trend will continue with many front-line sensors, being validated through the use of back-end data found in non-defense data centers.
The ability to configure data in helpful data sets continues to challenge the most advanced minds.
The abundance of data combined into the building blocks of our defense systems has challenged the most advance high-performance computer systems. The architecture of Edge computing has created a network of pre-processing that creates efficiencies, but also has increased the complexity and subsequently the possibility for risk through the conveyance of erroneous data. The use of a public, social media source like Facebook to contribute to the identification of a threat, in support of an airstrike creates several questions regarding the quality of the data. The speed of decisions continues to challenge us and increases the possibility of error. In 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis, the President had days of deliberation after reviewing the images from the U2 spy plane. After 9/11, President
Bush had just a few hours to interpret the data to determine responsibility and how the United States would react. The need for faster and faster decision-making is a must. The simple fact is that by increasing the speed we can outstrip the enemies’ communications and soften their defenses through the element of surprise. The ability to combine pre-processing at the Edge and open-source data into actionable intelligence is key to our future defense matrix. The topology of data collection and processing will be the kin to the Arms Race of the last 50 years. The future warfare tactics will be determined in the data center by those that command the fastest processors and networks. As the amount of data is doubling every 24 months, to be able to tee up data sets through Edge solutions, combine it would advance algorithms
that support the latest in AI techniques, and convey actionable intelligence to the field will be key. By creating battleplans that defy our playbook with asymmetrical, surprise responses will leave our advisories dazed and confused. In Japan, they refer to it as “Kuzushi” or using your opponent’s position of being off-balance or exposed against them. The ability to determine threats on a human level has been achieved through the “gift of fear”. When troop movement is witnessed, it has been the human intelligence that has determined whether the threat is advancing or retreating. The use of AI will augment this calculation to determine the greater implications. In history, there are numerous examples of miss-calculations based on human intelligence. The one that comes to mind is Hitler’s belief that Normandy
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was a bluff, and the real attack would come at the Porta Calais based on intelligence gathered from a double agent code name Garbo, Juan Pujol Garcia. Now think of automating the tasks through advance artificial intelligence. Think about a solution that removes the human intelligence that takes time and is mundane and replaces it with automation that paints a picture from many seemingly irrelevant “pixels” to form a more comprehensive threat analysis. A form of this can be witnessed in the Israeli Iron dome that takes immediate action in thwarting incoming missiles. The near term will not be a fully automated system based on AI, it will be open-source information and AI, used in conjunction with known strategies to scrub and challenge the human assumptions regarding the proper course of action. Using more data points, decisions will be made with a richer competition of ideas that theoretically should lead to a better battle plan. The biggest obstacle in implementing an advanced AI-based solution is culture. The entrenched response or playbook is not only known by our advisories but also etched into the fabric of our military. Information is coveted and the mantra of “Need to know” is pervasive. We must be open to integration driven by JADC2 from the AFRL. We must also recognize that much of the intelligence used in our sensor to shooter strategy, may be achieved using 22
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commercial, non-defense specific sources. The strategy employed must be open to sourcing data in unconventional ways from commercial sources already in position. From weather satellites to Social Media platforms, from crowdsourcing to GPS tracking, unorthodox solutions will prove to be the best edge over the enemy. An example of intelligence that came from the public occurred last July when a satellite image picked up a fire in Iran that look random, but as the image reach social media within hours it was determined that it was an explosion at a nuclear facility housing enriched uranium. By early that evening the Israeli government was being asked what if any responsibility they may have had in the sabotage. Through speed and accuracy, we will be able to form a much more complete picture of the threat and the possible asymmetrical responses available. This sounds like Science Fiction, and costs will indeed be high, but in the end, it will be AI that augments human intelligence that optimizes our response. We are spending billions to integrate systems across the branches of the service, with much of the data we seek already available through open sources. This enables us to remove much of the calculus of money spent to achieve primary data, to tapping into data that already exists. It will also change the conversation from either/or – either human-based decisions or AI based, to an augmentation that gives clarity to the facts.
August 2021
COT’S PICKS ThinKom Unveils New VICTS Antennas for Space Payloads
ThinKom Solutions today announced the development of a new family of phased-array antennas for deployment on satellites and other space vehicles.
The high-efficiency VICTS antenna architecture enables a smaller mounting size and volume for a given level of performance, as well as lower inertia than traditional satellite designs. The result is extremely low power consumption, a critical requirement for space applications.
Concealment Antenna for DoD Band Applications RFMW announces design and sales support for a Southwest Antennas’ omnidirectional antenna. The 1066-094 is a concealment antenna designed for use in systems where covert antennas are necessary for mission security. Operating in the 1.35 to 1.4 GHz band, the 1066-094 offers a small form factor, very lightweight, and high gain performance of up to 2 dBi. Offered without a radome, the antenna is not suited for outdoor use unless integrated into another product, such as unmanned vehicles or concealments for covert surveillance applications. It comes with an integrated, 54 inch, low-loss RF cable terminated with a rotating SMA male connector. RFMW Ltd. www.rfmw.com
The antennas are based on ThinKom’s proven VICTS (Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub) technology. The multi-frequency full-duplex antennas are designed for operation on geostationary and non-geostationary satellites using C-, X-, Ku-, Ka-, Q-, V-, E- and W-band frequencies. They can provide steerable high-capacity inter-satellite links as well as space-to-earth and Earth-to-space feeder and user links. The new ThinKom payload antennas are compact and lightweight, with a 30-cm diameter antenna weighing less than 5 kg. They can be nested for multi-beam applications without the blockages that can occur with multiple parabolic dish arrays. They can also support digital beamforming within regional user beams. The space payload VICTS antennas are designed with an aluminum structure and space-compatible components to function reliably under extreme conditions of radiation, shock, vibration, and temperature. The compact highly reliable conformal arrays do not require any post-launch deployment mechanisms, eliminating the added weight and complexity of traditional satellite antenna systems. 24
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Other key features include 80-degree scan angle coverage, wide instantaneous channel bandwidth up to 2 GHz, polarization diversity, low sidelobe emissions, and continuous jitterless high-agility scanning. “For space-based applications, long-term dependable and maintenance-free performance is a no-compromise requirement,” said Bill Milroy, CTO, and chairman of ThinKom Solutions. “Our highly reliable VICTS platform has been thoroughly field-proven with thousands of units already deployed in aero, land, and maritime mobile environments, across more than 23 million cumulative hours of service.” “We believe our space payload antennas hit the ‘sweet spot’ between the bulkier and heavier gimbaled dish antennas, with their deployment and kinematic complexities, and the less efficient power-hungry electronically steered arrays (ESAs),” Milroy added. “A 30-cm VICTS antenna only requires a small fraction of the power and area required for a comparable performing ESA.” ThinKom Solutions Inc. www.thinkom.com
August 2021
COT’S PICKS General Dynamics Mission Systems Introduces Badger Software-Defined Radio Badger Radio Unveiling Video Thumbnail New 2-channel radio provides multi-level security for voice and data communications in a small, compact form factor General Dynamics Mission Systems introduced the new Badger software-defined radio today at the Navy League’s SeaAir-Space Symposium in National Harbor, Maryland. Produced at the company’s
Scottsdale, Arizona facility, the Badger is a compact, 2-channel software-defined radio that provides Multiple Independent Levels of Security (MILS) for ship-to-ship and shipto-shore voice and data communications. It is the only radio available that provides High Frequency (HF), Very High Frequency (VHF), Ultra High Frequency (UHF), and SATCOM Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) waveform capability. The integration of MUOS significantly enhances beyond-line-of-sight, or satellite voice and data communications. Badger’s software-defined, flexible open architecture enables future next-generation communications including waveforms, encryption algorithms, and advanced network connectivity to be easily incorpo-
rated without redesign. Similar to a commercial smartphone, this approach simplifies the incorporation of new features and functions by enabling the radio to be upgraded in the field without having to take it out of service, resulting in significant time and cost savings. In addition, the Badger’s Voice over IP (VoIP) audio capability modernizes and simplifies platform audio distribution using network connectivity. The Badger is based on the long history of General Dynamics’ Digital Modular Radio (DMR). With over 900 radios delivered, DMR provides secure communications aboard U.S. Navy surface and sub-surface vessels, as well as fixed sites. At a quarter of the size of DMR, Badger provides the waveforms and flexibility of the DMR in a compact platform. “The Badger was developed in collaboration with our customer to meet their requirements for smaller ships and platforms,“ said Stan Kordana, Vice President of Surface Systems at General Dynamics Mission Systems. Badger offers many of the same capabilities that have made DMR a communications standard for the U.S. Navy, in a much smaller form factor. The reduced size, weight, and power make it ideal for smaller platforms across multiple domains that only require two channels, and at the same time simplifies logistics and reduces costs.” The Badger has programmable embedded NSA certified Type 1 encryption that secures communications and simplifies the system architecture. It has MILS capability which enables it to communicate simultaneously at multiple levels of security, on each of the radio’s two channels. General Dynamics www.gd.com
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August 2021
COT’S PICKS DT Research Announces Unique 6-inch Windows 10 Ultra Rugged Tablet with Walkie-Talkie Communication
Highly Durable, Robust Handheld Tablet with Night Vision Capabilities Designed to Fit into Tactical Vest DT Research announced the DT361AM and DT361AD, 6-inch military-spec rugged handheld tablets that run the Microsoft® Windows® 10 operating system and contain walkie-talkie communication and night vision capabilities. These highly robust, yet compact tablets weighing only one pound are purpose-built for mission-critical environments and designed to secure a tactical vest for easy access. The DT361AM and DT361AD handheld tablets will be showcased August 2-4th in Booth 1911 at the Sea-Air-Space Conference and Expo in the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Users appreciate these feature-rich handheld tablets, which have a 6-inch, daylight mode/night vision screen with capacitive multi-touch for ultimate viewing versatility. Military durability IP65 and MIL-STD-810H ratings verify that the tablets will perform well in harsh conditions. DT Research’s signature hot-swappable batteries ensure continuous operation, while Intelâ 10th Generation Coreä i7 processors deliver high performance and energy efficiency. “These unique handheld tablets showcase our innovative design capabilities to deliver purpose-built mobile solutions for military tactical operations, law enforcement, and other mission-critical field use cases,” said Daw Tsai, President of DT Research. “While working with various U.S. military groups, we saw the need for a small, highly durable device with the robust functionality enabled by Windows® 10, combined with special features such as walkie-talkie communication, night vision capabilities, and multifactor authorization for enhanced security.” Purpose-built for Tactical Operations The DT361AM and DT361AD tablets provide hands-free walkie-talkie communication, enabling a user to easily speak to many people simultaneously through built-in speaker/microphones and effectively communicate in noisy environments. For stealth operations during low-light situations, a luminance night vision screen provides clear readability of the display with the naked eye in dark environments and does not interfere with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). Users can take advantage of 26
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a vest tablet mount, which supports handsfree communication and offers quick access to the device when necessary. Designed for Mission Critical Environments The tablets are highly durable and reliable with IP65-rated for water and dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H for shock and vibration protection. The DT361AM and DT361AD are tested to operate in environments 122 degrees Fahrenheit and can be safely stored in temperatures as low as -4 Fahrenheit. The 3100mAh batteries are hot-swappable for 24/7 operation. Advanced Identity Verification and Security A built-in Common Access Card (CAC) reader provides two-factor authentication by matching a user’s smart card with a personal identification (PIN) number. CAC readers also meet the requirements for data encryption and digital signature technologies to provide secure logical access to computer systems and networks. The DT361AM and DT361AD tablets are TAA compliant with NIST compliant BIOS. The DT361AM and DT361AD handheld rugged tablets include a robust set of features and options. Ultra Rugged - IP65-rated for water and dust resistance; MIL-STD-810H for shock and vibration protection. Temperature operation: 0°C to 50°C (32°F to 122°F); storage: -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F) and humidity 0% – 90% non-condensing. FCC Class B, RoHS compliant. Interactive Display with Night Vision Screen – 6-inch LED-backlight screen with capacitive touch and digital pen support. Optional luminance night vision screen with daylight mode 800 nits; NVIS mode: 0 to 20 or 0 to .7 nits. MIL-STD-3009 Class B
compliant, providing clear readability of the display with the naked eye in dark environments and does not interfere with Night Vision Goggles (NVGs). High Performance and Robust – Microsoft® Windows® 10 IoT Enterprise operating system runs Intel® 10th Generation Core™ i7 processors with a fanless, robust design. Smart Card/SD Reader – Built-in, full-slot smart card/Common Access Card (CAC) reader (DT361AM); full-slot SD card reader (DT361AD). Wireless Communication – Walkie-talkie communication with a built-in speaker and two microphones. Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11ac, 2.4 GHz/5GHz dual-band, and Bluetooth 4.2 LE. Vest Mount – Optional vest tablet mount secures the device to a tactical vest and provides hands-free operation and quick access. Continuous Operation – Hot-swappable battery 7.6V, 3100mAh. Availability The DT Research DT361AM and DT361AD rugged handheld tablets are immediately available from DT Research’s authorized resellers and partners. DT Research, Inc. www.dtresearch.com
August 2021
COT’S PICKS Crystal Group Introduces First Militaryand IEC-Compliant Video Encoder and IP KVM for Demanding Edge Environments
Crystal Group, Inc. announced it will offer the industry’s first ruggedized video appliances (RVA) that combine critical, real-time 4K video streaming, recording, extension, and storage with strict military and industrial standards. “Customers have exacting needs when it comes to their expanding use of performance-media-over-IP products. Crystal Group is a trusted source for the demanding projects using these technologies and is a domestic solution provider we are very proud to partner with.” “Whether it’s conducting live, virtual, constructive training or providing real-time oil rig monitoring, video-based data is critical to the accuracy and effectiveness of edge applications,” said Jeff Dixon, technical director at Crystal Group. “Providing ruggedized ver-
sions of these Matrox products to meet or exceed International Electronic Commission (IEC) compliance standards, as well as MIL-STD-810G, MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-901E proactively address the dynamic operating challenges and requirements.” Equipped with compressed H.264 technology, the RVA6152 video encoder delivers quality, low-bitrate streaming, and recording. The quad 4K input capture and encode enables secure, real-time streaming and/or recording of four or more 4K channels simultaneously over standard Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) networks. The plug-and-play design integrates easily into existing infrastructures for high-density content distribution and system scalability. The RVA3408 IP KVM extender provides 4Kp60 4:4:4 UHD performance or quad-monitor capabilities over standard GbE at unprecedented low bitrates. This transmitter-receiver duo can be configured as a point-to-point or networked extender to securely deliver multiple video, keyboard, mouse, USB 2.0,
and audio signals, as well as provide aggregated and seamless control of multiple systems from a remote 4K/multi-display station with a single keyboard and mouse. “Crystal Group’s experience in and reputation for designing and building rugged compute solutions for demanding edge environments is unmatched,” said Samuel Recine, vice president of sales for the Americas and the Asia Pacific, AV/IT Group at Matrox Video. “Customers have exacting needs when it comes to their expanding use of performance-media-over-IP products. Crystal Group is a trusted source for the demanding projects using these technologies and is a domestic solution provider we are very proud to partner with.” Crystal Group, Inc. www.crystalrugged.com
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August 2021
COT’S PICKS JLT Mobile Computers announces a next-generation version of its fully rugged slim and light 10-inch Android tablet
The upgraded tablet offers Android 9 along with a substantial processing performance increase, sharper and brighter display, faster communication, USB Type-C, and higher resolution cameras Mobile Computers announces the launch of the Android™ 9 based next-generation MT3010A™ tablet computer. With its small 10-inch form factor and lightweight, the fully rugged tablet is ideal for deployment in markets such as warehousing, logistics, food and beverage, transportation, and ports. The MT3010A tablet provides a substantial upgrade in terms of performance and functionality to the existing MT2010A, yet shares exterior design, dimensions, and peripherals with the predecessor model, preserving existing investment in platform peripherals and accessories.
Android holds a dominant market share in smartphones, with billions of users familiar with Android operation. Given the tremendous software and developer support, Android makes a perfect complement to Microsoft Windows-based systems and infrastructure, as well as a migration opportunity from discontinued legacy systems. As a result, there have been very rapid technological and functional advancements in Android hardware and software, which JLT is bringing to its customers with the new MT3010A. “Android is progressing in leaps and bounds in terms of raw performance and what it can do out there in the field,” says Per Holmberg, CEO of JLT Mobile Computers. ”We’re making sure our customers always get the latest and greatest, and our new MT3010A tablet is a major step forward for their operations and productivity. With this new unit, we’re offering a big jump in performance and functionality to give customers in warehousing, ports, and similar environments what they need on the job.” Like its predecessor, the new MT3010A combines tough, durable construction with a slim, light, and ergonomic form factor that fits anywhere and doesn’t weigh the user down. The tablet can handle 4-foot (122 cm) drops to concrete, has a very wide operating temperature range, is IP65 dustproof and highly water-resistant, and has been tested to rigorous MIL-STD810H shock, drop, and vibration military standards.
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Among the MT3010A’s immediately obvious improvements are the significantly higher performance of the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ SDA660 octa-core processor and the much higher resolution of its Full HD (1920 x 1200 pixel) capacitive multitouch display with hand, glove, and rain modes that also offers twice the luminance and optical bonding for optimal sunlight viewability (800 vs 400 nits). The new MT3010A comes with twice as much storage, 50% more system memory, much higher resolution front and rear cameras (8MP and 13MP), much faster 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 5 connectivity, as well as much faster USB 3.1 wired connectivity on both a full-size Type A and a reversible Type C port. Optionally available are a Micro HDMI port, an integrated 1D/2D barcode reader, 4G LTE mobile broadband, and optional high-capacity battery and warm-swapping functionality. Android 9, which has options for future upgrades, provides the MT3010A with enterprise features such as lock task mode, improved control over the user interface, support for multiple users as well as improved system security.
JLT offers an easy insert and release vehicle dock with VESA mounting support, additional USB support, and 9-36V DC vehicle power. Also available is a lockable vehicle cradle that keeps the tablet securely fastened to moving vehicles. JLT Mobile Computers https://jltmobile.com
August 2021
COT’S PICKS Supermicro Debuts New Top-Loading and Simply Double Storage Systems with 3rd Generation Intel Xeon Processors
Super Micro Computer, Inc. announced new versions of its market-proven top-loading storage solutions with 60-bay and 90-bay systems along with new Simply Double storage systems fully optimized for the latest 3rd Gen Intel Xeon
Scalable processors and PCI-E 4.0 NVMe drives. These best-in-class high-capacity storage and expansion systems are ideal for cloud-scale storage implementations as well as HPC storage workloads. “As the growth in software-defined, cloudbased storage continues to accelerate, Supermicro helps data centers to rapidly modernize their infrastructure to leverage flexible configuration, tool-less modular designs that can be serviced by a technician, and simple expansion capabilities with our new X12 60-bay or 90-bay single, dual node and high availability architecture innovation,” said Charles Liang, president, and CEO, Supermicro. “Our new high-capacity storage systems continue Supermicro’s focus on resourcesaving and delivers industry-leading capacity for a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).” Top-Loading Storage Systems Supermicro’s new top-loading architecture delivers improved flexibility, modularity, and serviceability that customers require. Both 60-bay and 90-bay systems are available in single-node, dual-node, and dual-node high availability (HA) configurations. The dual-node HA and singlenode configurations control access to all drives in the systems. The dual-node configuration evenly split the drive control access between each node. With a modular, tool-less design, all critical onboard systems – hot-swap server nodes, expanders, fan modules, power supplies, and
drives – are fully optimized for easy serviceability by one technician. Supermicro’s new high-capacity top-loading systems are optimized for enterprise and cloudscale storage environments. This scale-up and scale-out architectures design offer customers the configuration options of PCI-E 4.0-based RAID or IT mode SAS controller. These 4U systems feature 60 or 90 hot-swap 2.5” or 3.5” SAS3/SATA3 bays plus two onboard PCI-E M.2 slots and two internal
slim SATA SSD slots. The single-node system also supports two rear hot-swap 2.5” bays for OS mirroring and four optional NVMe U.2 bays for fast caching. The system supports 1.6 petabytes of cost-optimized storage at the maximum configuration, plus up to 60TB of SSD flash via the rear-accessed NVMe. The single- and dualnode systems use 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors in a dual-socket configuration with 16 DIMM slots per server node. Simply Double Storage Systems Supermicro’s Simply Double storage server is an industry-leading solution for content delivery. Today’s announcement introduces performance and serviceability enhancements to the overall design to support 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors in a dual-socket configuration with 16 DIMMs while maintaining the same dense storage footprint. Up to four rear hot-swap U.2 NVMe bays are supported, allowing users to add flash without sacrificing any of the 24 SAS/SATA 3.5” storage bays. Innovative chassis design enhances airflow and streamlines system service accessibility to components such as the motherboard, CPU, memory, PCI-E slots, internal drive bays, and rear drive bays. Along with these mechanical improvements, the system can be configured with the options of PCI-E 4.0-based RAID or IT mode SAS controller. Super Micro Computer, Inc. www.supermicro.com
A new generation of enhanced projected capacitive touch solutions The expanded range features water and fluid resistant operation Display solutions and embedded systems provider, Review Display Systems Inc. (RDS) has announced the availability of a new generation of projected capacitive (PCAP) touchscreens from leading touch solutions specialist AMT. With a combination of PCAP touchscreens, touch controllers, and drivers, AMT can provide best-inclass, fully integrated touch solutions. An extensive line-up of new generation projected capacitive touchscreen solutions have been introduced with a wide range of standard sizes and aspect ratios available between 3.5-inch and 23.8-inch. The new PCAP touch screens are suitable for use in the industrial, medical, and commercial market sectors, where larger screen sizes can be easily accommodated. AMT has also simplified the process of connecting and interfacing to the touchscreen by featuring a fully integrated touch controller on a Chip-on-Flex (COF) interconnect cable. The PenMount K1 series is AMT’s proprietary PCAP touch controller and features through the new product line-up. The PenMount K1 series PCAP touch controller is suitable for use in various environments and provides support for high sample rates which enables multiple touchpoints and gestures. The K1 series controller also features enhanced noise immunity and the ability to deal with interference signals and operational errors. These features enable the touch screen to continue to operate correctly despite the touch screen surface being in contact with water, liquid solutions, and other fluids. Justin Coleman, display division manager, RDS said, “Being able to develop effective and efficient human-machine interfaces for a wide range of applications is essential for design engineers, system developers, and their end customers. AMT is a progressive business that focuses on providing innovative, easy-to-use touch solutions for many varied industries and market sectors.” Review Display Systems Inc. https://review-displays.com
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August 2021
COT’S PICKS WIN Enterprises Announces 2U Rackmount Server Platform with Dual 3rd Gen Intel© Xeon Scalable Processors
WIN Enterprises, Inc. announces the PL50250, a 2U rackmount server for IoT and Cloud applications. The platform supports the Intel® Whitley/Ice Lake-SP to deliver efficient processor performance. The new generation platform delivers high performance with CPU cores offering up to 38 processing cores, and 3 Ultra Path Interconnect (UPI)
links up to 11.2 GT/s. Features • Supports 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor (Ice Lake-SP), Socket P+ 4189pin • Supports Max 2TB DDR4 2933/3200MHz & Optane DC Persistent Memory • Max support for 8x PCIe Gen4 x8 slots for Network Expansion Modules • Supports BMC/IPMI& hardware one-key Bypass function The PL-50250 supports 8x channels of DDR4
registered ECC RDIMM memory (up to 3200 MHz) with a maximum memory capacity of up to 1TB with 64 PCIe lanes per CPU. The PL-50250 can support up to 8x Network Expansion Modules, and –provides support for multiple different Ethernet modules to enable flexible port configurations, such as 1/10/40/100 Gigabit fiber, Gigabit Copper/Fiber with or without BYPASS function. The maximum Ethernet bandwidth capacity is up to 1,000 GbE. The strong IO elements of PL-50250 include two management ports -- one for management, another for optional IPMI functionality; a console port, and 2x external USB ports with 1x internal USB port, LEDs for power/ HDD/ 2x GPIO. In addition, the PL-50250 supports two front panels mounted, hot-swappable 2.5” SATA HDDs/SSDs and an onboard CompactFlash® /m-SATA/mini PCIe port, plus an M.2 slot for network storage applications. WIN Enterprises, Inc www.win-ent.com
United Electronic Industries announces Solutions Stack aligned with The Open Group FACE™ Technical Standard for its leading Hardware Platform using FACE TSS technology from RealTime Innovations United Electronic Industries (UEI) announces an integrated avionics solution stack aligned with The Open Group Future Airborne Capability Environment™ (FACE) standard using the certified FACE conformant Transport Services Segment (TSS)
product from Real-Time Innovations (RTI). This capability enables rapid integration with other portable FACE software applications to the UEI platform through the RTI TSS, providing a low-risk, cost-effective connectivity foundation for FACE systems integrators. UEI supplies data acquisition, control, and test system hardware to meet the stringent requirements of military and aerospace industry applications. Whether commercial or military aviation, UEI has rugged and reliable solutions that are deployable in a variety of environments. With flexible 1-12 slot
chassis, and more than 80+ I/O and avionic boards commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS), UEI ensures FACE applications executing with the RTI TSS can easily, seamlessly, and securely pass data between both simulated and deployed systems. Plus, with UEI’s long-term 10-year availability guarantee, product obsolescence is no longer an issue. RTI’s FACE Transport Service Segment (TSS) was the first TSS solution to achieve FACE conformance certification. The RTI TSS accelerates and assures interoperability of FACE applications. It extends FACE application software portability and system interoperability benefits by integrating the RTI FACE TSS with the Object Management Group (OMG®) Data Distribution ServiceTM (DDS) Standard, now used by over 1,000 global defense systems. UEI will share its experiences using RTI’s FACE TSS to read and control avionics within its COTS platform at the upcoming FACE Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM). “The ease of use and interoperability, coupled with RTI’s leading connectivity software, brought this project in early and under budget,” said Erik Goethert, Senior Director of Technical Marketing for UEI. “We welcome UEI to the FACE Consortium,” said Chip Downing, Senior Market Development Director at RTI. “This integrated solution accelerates the integration of FACE Units of Conformance (UoCs) using a MOSA standards-based environment.” United Electronic Industries www.ueidaq.com
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COTS COTS
Index
ADVERTISERS Company Page # Alphi Technology Corporation .................................. 4 AIM ......................................................................... 28 Annapolis Micro Systems ........................................ 27 Broadcom .............................................................. . 5 Diamond Systems .................................................... 13/25 GET Engineering .................................................... . B/C Great River Technology ........................................... 18 New Wave DV ......................................................... 19 MPL ...................................................................... 27 Holo Industries ...................................................... IFC OSS ........................................................................ 23 PICO Electronics, Inc ............................................. 22/IBC Pixus Technologies ................................................. 19 Sealevel ................................................................. 15 SECO ...................................................................... 11 U-Reach ................................................................. 12 Versalogic .............................................................. IBC
Website ............................................ www.AlphiTech.com .......................................... www.aim-online.com ........................................ www.annapmicro.com ............................................ www.broadcom.com ................................. www.diamondsystems.com ............................................... www.getntds.com ..................................... www.greatrivertech.com ........................................ www.newwavedv.com ..................................................... www.mpl.com ............................................... www.holoind.com .................................. www.onestopsystems.com .................................... www.picoelectronics.com .............................. www.pixustechnologies.com .............................................. www.sealevel.com ................................................... www.seco.com ........................................ www.ureach-usa.com ............................................. www.versalogic.com
COTS Journal (ISSN#1526-4653) is published monthly at; 3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009. Periodicals Class postage paid at San Clemente and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to COTS Journal, 3180 Sitio Sendero, Carlsbad, CA. 92009.
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