AI's Influence is Going to Go Deeper Than Just the Corporate Sector

AI technology is firmly carving out a niche in defense technology. News reports refer to partnership agreements between large defense technology corporations such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and startups in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML), Image Intelligence (IMINT) Recognition, Battlefield Awareness, Multi‐Domain Battle Management Team (MBMT) Mobility Platform, Tactical Augmented Reality (TAR), Radio Frequency and Wireless Surveillance (RFWS) Systems.

At the same time, defense startups like Palantir and Anduril, which have relied on the use of AI since their inception, have now emerged as major game-changing market players.

Undoubtedly, this trend will continue in the future and we will soon see significant changes in the direction of enhanced national security and deployed defense technologies. As proof, Project Maven, announced in 2017 according to various sources, is being tested in combat use in military conflicts in Ukraine and Israel.

A wearable mobile platform with a high-performance computing module within the Soldier-as-Sensor concept is expected to complement the Battlefield Management System (BMS) and Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) ecosystems. At least a few defense agencies periodically publish innovation requests for these and related research and technology areas in the prototype stage.

Today's highly mobile battlefield threats and higher demands on the cognitive capabilities of operators are driving the need to act simultaneously on multiple fronts. Everyone is required to have accurate Tactical Situational Awareness, Friend-or-Foe Identification, Synthetic Day/Night Vision, BLOS Communications, Sensors, Signal Intelligence, RF Wideband Digital Beamforming, and be an element for sharing this information in peer-to-peer networks.

Until recently, some technological limitations have prevented the creation of a convenient mobile platform with dimensions that would allow a person to wear an electronic device for extended periods. For several years, Microsoft tried to adapt its HoloLense 2 device for the IVAS defense project. However, immersive technologies (AR/MR) designed for entertainment, education and training are not well-suited for the military.

At Furtherium, my team and I initially created the concept of AI-powered Tactical Situational Awareness Mobility Platform primarily for the military, security forces, rescuers, and firefighters. The key advantages of this technology are its compact design, fast performance, integration of all important functions, and affordable price. And a special feature is the application of several AI technologies on a local device.

I founded Furtherium in 2021 and started developing an integrated product ARHUDFM (Augmented Reality Head-Up Display Fullface Mask) - Hardware modules, SaaS and Healthcare modules. Several detection and recognition functions cover visual information in the visible and infrared spectrum, sound and radio frequency waves over a very wide range, passive radar signatures and an EOD scanner for explosive detection.

The core of the technology is not only pre-trained Machine Learning models, but also neural network generative AI models that are trained together with each user. For this purpose, advanced CPU and NPU technologies are used in each device.

You could say this is the next step in using generative AI in mobile platforms, focused not only on defense applications, with huge dual-use potential. Fine-tuning a local model on a user's device still looks unfamiliar right now, but that's the future.

In addition to the key goals of detection and recognition, other basic functions are Omnichannel Messenger, Media Capture and Exchange, Ballistic Fire Assistant and Spotter, Multi-Domain Operations, RC Universal Controller for drones and robots. You don't have to look into the future to understand the trends, just open YouTube and see for yourself the training programs at the U.S. Marine Corps and Army.

I'd like to share the new YouTube video we created that demonstrates the capabilities of my startup's mobile platform, controlled primarily by a voice assistant that adapts to each user.

It seems natural and logical now, but we didn't come to this immediately, it took several years of research into behavioral capabilities, cognitive constraints, tactical documentation and the capabilities of different electronic component architectures. The technical requirements of the military are very different from civilian applications. This applies not only to Hardware, but also to Software, including how generative AI models should be used, what criteria they are required to meet.

Many features must be considered when designing for military applications: Night Vision and Augmented Reality without outward illumination, protection against ionizing radiation, main and backup power system, battery life, active cooling, shock wave and fragments exposure, encryption and hopping frequencies for data exchange, reduced traffic while maintaining data quality.

It would be wrong to think about the protection of the device and not provide for the protection of the user. For this purpose, several options are created simultaneously for hearing protection and protection against concussion, eye and face protection, respiratory protection, built-in drinking system, automatic tourniquets to stop acute bleeding. Sensors in the user's arms, legs, back, and chest allow health monitoring during exercises, training, and tactical missions.

SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market) for this technology estimates exceed $31B and include markets in over 32 NATO countries and its allies. Amid the Research, Development, Test & Evaluation budget of the U.S. DoD alone of $148B this looks promising. Military innovation budgets are on the rise, that's another trend today.

My startup's project involves integrating products from companies such as Palantir, Anduril, Teledyne FLIR, Shield AI, Epirus, Elbit Systems, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Thales Group. Combining non-competing systems creates unique synergies.

I am also pleased to announce that we are close to raising funds. Investors are expected to include companies with expertise in the Defense and Security area.

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