SBIR-STTR Award

Botts Innovative Research, Inc (Botts, Inc.) proposes to conduct a feasibility study to assess the art of the possible as it relates to the use of the open source, open standards based OpenSensorHub (OSH) (www.OpenSensorHub.org) for the integration between the sensors and robots of Hyper Enabled Operators (HEO), their units, and their mission command, to provide battlespace awareness at the tactical, operational, and strategic level. Based on our existing experience in prototyping HEO scenarios with OSH in concert with SOFWERX, we believe that OSH has the chance to stimulate breakthrough advances in technology and innovation, with a solution based on re-usable, open source code and integrations, based on existing open standards, that are already being demonstrated in SOCOM Technical Experiments with already fielded SOF systems. Through the power of the Open Geospatial Consortium (www.opengeospatial.org(link is external)) interoperability standards at the heart of OSH, Botts Inc expects to be able to prove the feasibility of a HEO architecture that can harness all manner of sensors, actuators, and process of all kinds (whether manifested as Sensor, Things, or Robots) as location-enabled, geographically-aware, web accessible services. This will allow SOF operators to better fuse all manner of heterogenous sensor data into a common 4D framework for processing, reasoning, and visualization in to a 4D tactical common operational picture (COP) for exercising mission command and executing operations at a tactical, operational and strategic level. As we demonstrate the feasibility of OSH to stream open standard “Tactical COP” data, we will highlight a HEO architecture where these technical augmentations can inform a wide range of applications on handheld devices, including ATAK and MAGE, and can easily be integrated in to any operational command systems will extend the reach of those devices as handheld sensors and for mission execution across the battle space. Building on Botts Inc’s work with SOFWERX on the integration of various sensors via OSH as part of the SOCOM HEO vision development, we believe we have a sound foundation for determining the feasibility of an OSH based architecture for realizing the larger HEO vision, across both Personal Area Networks (PAN), and as part of a HEO squad, over their Squad Area Networks (SqAN) via ATAK. This proposed effort would allow us to determine the feasibility of various architectural extensions to this SOFWERX/OSH baseline, and the integration of new and additional sensors, robots, and non-traditional ISR assets that are being considered as part of the HEO vision. Additionally, Botts Inc.’s participation in the Technical Experiments 20-2/20-3 (though postponed by COVID-19) has given us more experience integrating sensors from the SOF community, and simulating their function in an austere environment that simulates delayed/disconnected, intermittently-connected, low-bandwidth (DDIL) often experienced by SOF. Anticipated

221Botts Innovative Research Inc (Botts-Inc) proposes to develop, install, and demonstrate a prototype system determined to be the most feasible solution during the Phase I feasibility study, with priority placed on the detailed tasks identified in the Phase II Statement of Objectives. This prototype will enable the integration of all Hyper Enabled Operator (HEO) Sensors, Robots and Things into all SOCOM Mission Command System (MCS) Common Operating Pictures (COP) at every echelon, vertically and horizontally, in a way that allows for the maximal integration of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning/Computer Vision (AI/ML/CV). This can help HEOs to orient themselves (through situational awareness) in their immediate tactical/operational/strategic setting, such that they can make informed decisions in a time dominant manner, enabling them to take decisive action while overcoming the problem of cognitive overmatch. Essential to this vision is the seamless integration of airborne Full Motion Video (FMV) Sensors with 3D terrain data, and the use of FMV and other Sensors to rapidly and continuously generate and update our 3D characterization of the SOF Battlespace. With the proliferation of FMV and other kinds of sensors, projected atop and continuously improving an increasingly high resolution 3D terrain model, the opportunity for cognitive overmatch is high. To render the additional Sensor data more useful rather than more overwhelming, we propose to prototype a HEO architecture that will rely on more autonomous and more intelligent components and workflows. We see an opportunity to enable HEOs to embrace the benefits of these emergent Sensor technologies, to tighten the OODA Loop, and reduce/eliminate cognitive overmatch. We also see an opportunity to ensure that the MCS COP at every echelon shares in this augmented situational awareness and the benefits automation can bring to mission command. Based on our existing work done with SOFWERX and PEO Strategic Reconnaissance, as well as our SBIR Phase I Feasibility Study, Botts-Inc proposes to extend and implement the open source, open standards based. OpenSensorHub (OSH) (www.OpenSensorHub.org(link is external)) to demonstrate the “art of the possible” as it relates to the integration of Sensors, Things and Robots in support of HEOs, their units, and their mission command, to provide battlespace awareness at the tactical, operational, and strategic level. This will include the Puma and quadcopter FMV sensor integration that has already been completed, and the demonstration of an OSH based architecture for converting FMV orbits into high resolution three dimension (HR3D) terrain data at the tactical edge. In support of a SOCOM PEO SDA’s Modular Open System Architecture (MOSA) vision, this solution is based on re-usable, open source code and integrations, based on existing open standards, that are already being demonstrated in SOCOM Technical Experiments with already fielded SOF Sensor systems.