STRIKEWERX badge technology project funded for further development

STRIKEWERX Project Manager Joshua Fisher showcases the IoT/AI PicoBadge technology to Air Force Global Strike Command staff Dec. 19, 2023, at the STRIKEWERX Innovation Hub in the Cyber Innovation Center, Bossier City, Louisiana. The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense will utilize the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund to advance the maturity of the technology that was uncovered via a STRIKEWERX challenge event in 2020. (U.S. Air Force Courtesy photo by Sean Green, STRIKEWERX)

By Sean Green | Communications Manager

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Air Force Global Strike Command Office of the Chief Scientist (AFGSC/ST) has secured multiple millions of dollars in multi-year funding to support development of sensor and badge technology.

The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (OUSD) Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund (OECIF) program will advance the maturity of the “Star Trek” inspired PicoBadge. The new project was awarded in 2024 under the OECIF Commanding Energy initiative and is called Hyper Efficient Personal Communicators and Kits, PicoBadge.

“Having the OUSD Operational Energy Office invest in the PicoBadge assists our forces not only with military energy usage but will help us mature the technology for AFGSC-specific applications,” said AFGSC Chief Scientist Dr. Donna Senft.

IoT/AI, based in Silicon Valley, California, and Silicon Hills in Austin, Texas, will utilize the funding to upgrade network capability and security of sensor technology to digitize energy data collection, like fuels and power units. This will help improve operational energy decision support and workflows.

“The unique combination of wearables and IoT sensing has the potential to help modernize Department of Defense (DoD) legacy methods for energy data collection,” said J.D. Stanley, IoT/AI chief operating officer.

These wearable and sensing technologies emerged from the STRIKEWERX Aircrew Alerting challenge event held in late 2020.

IoT/AI illustrates the size of their PicoBadge personal alerting technology at their facility in Austin, Texas, in December 9, 2024. The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense will utilize the Operational Energy Capability Improvement Fund to advance the maturity of the technology that was uncovered via a STRIKEWERX challenge event in 2020. (U.S. Air Force Courtesy photo by JD Stanley, IoT/AI)

IoT/AI was one of three companies identified through market research to help revolutionize 1980s technology and redefine how AFGSC aircrews are notified of emergencies with little to no warning.

“The STRIKEWERX challenge led to numerous research and development projects that propelled core commercial-off-the-shelf-based technologies for adapting to the DoD’s mission areas,” said Dr. Kevin Montgomery, IoT/AI chief executive officer.

Since 2020, IoT/AI has continually reduced the size and weight of the badge device while adding new functions such as vibration, visual alerts, and sound notifications. Further core sensing and IoT elements have significantly advanced across IoT/AI’s Pico Anywhere PlatformTM for dual-use solutions.

STRIKEWERX will manage the project, via the Cyber Innovation Center’s partnership agreement with AFGSC, to utilize sensor technology and upgrade the Hyper Efficient Personal Communicator badge.

The prototypes will work in support of AFGSC’s mission and larger DoD initiatives in cooperation with OUSD and the OECIF programs.

About IoT/AI, Inc

IoT/AI develops communication platforms for extreme IoT environments. The company offers a unified platform named The Pico Anywhere SuiteTM and Pico Anywhere PlatformTM, enabling connectivity, collaboration, sensing capabilities, and data analysis in harsh environments. The platform is a collection of devices, software modules, and sensors, managed by IoT/AI’s Mesh-xOS operating system and optimized for delivering value at the edge of the network. The company targets customers from the industrial and military/defense industries, providing SaaS, hardware, and consulting services. Established in 2019 in Fremont (CA), USA.