Program of Work updates
Competitive Projects: Fifth Call for proposals continues
IDEaS’ fifth Call for Proposals continued in 2022-2023 with an additional eight challenges launched.
Challenges:
- Do You Copy? Establishing and Maintaining Broadband Connectivity in Remote and Hostile Areas
- The Needle in the Haystack: Space-Based Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (SB-ISR) Imagery for Decision Making
- Sub-Zero Infrastructure, Security, and Sensors: Safekeeping Assets in the Arctic
- Under the Sea: Real-Time Detection of Marine Mammals During Sonar Operations
- Land to sea with low GHGs: Arctic eco-safe transit of personnel and cargo from ship to shore
- Loud and clear: Assured naval radio communications in complex electromagnetic environments
- Best of both worlds: Human autonomy teaming for effective decision making
- Under pressure: Just-in-time medical resupply in austere environments
Competitive projects at a glance for 2022-2023
Long description
- 8 challenges launched (additional CFP5 challenges)
- 198 proposals received
- 64 projects signed
- Total funding: over $12.7 million
Test Drives
IDEaS marked significant milestones for technology advancement, with its first project from the Competitive Projects element completing a Test Drive, and a third project commencing a Test Drive.
In December 2022, Sapper Labs’ solution concluded its Test Drive, with the DND/CAF looking forward to reviewing the results of this effort in the coming months.
In May 2022, another Test Drive contract valued at $10.5M was officially awarded to TerraSense Analytics Ltd. for their Input Surveillance & Tracking (MIST) technology, making it the third project selected from Competitive Projects’ first Call for Proposals to be “test-driven" by the DND/CAF. The MIST solution is an integrated hardware and software Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution that detects, tracks, and identifies multiple objects, persons, and events of interested across multiple sensors.
Since December 2021, work has been underway to complete a Test Drive of Ecopia’s solution from the Competitive Projects’ first Call for Proposals. The Canadian Forces Intelligence Command has now commenced its first phase of testing their technology to detect, recognize, identify, and track objects of interest using AI and machine learning.
The Green Heat Test Drive, which aims to equip an existing building in Canadian Forces Base Kingston with a large-scale, low carbon energy generation/transfer system that is integrated with its current hydronic heat distribution systems, is nearing construction anticipated in 2023.
Innovation Networks
This year, the Innovation Networks element launched a new challenge titled Preparing for a quantum world: Defence applications of quantum technologies. The challenge looked to stimulate the application of advances for quantum technologies in the defence and security domain from academia and private sector partners. There was an impressive response, and the IDEaS team evaluated over 50 applications. Ultimately, six teams will be selected to share $18M in funding.
In May 2022, the program also signed eight contribution agreements (total value of $12M) for the development of research clusters to advance 5G capabilities and concepts for defence and security. The challenge looked to expand upon the defence specific domains of architectures for defence and security operations, assured performance and security, and applications and sensors.
In June 2022, IDEaS also held its 2nd Annual Innovation Networks Symposium for two Innovation Networks challenges: Autonomous systems for defence and security: Trust and barriers to adoption, and Advanced materials for defence & security: Seeking innovation in detection avoidance and physical protection. This is the mid-point in these research projects, and researchers highlighted the work underway. The event also provided an opportunity to engage with other innovators and officials from the DND/CAF, DRDC, and Other Government Departments.
Contests
In January 2022, Round 3 winners of the Pop up city: Integrating energy, water and waste management systems for the CAF’s RTCs Contest were officially announced, with Terragon Environmental Technologies Inc., Innocorps Research Corporation, and SNC-Lavalin Integrated Utility Management System receiving $1.5M contribution agreements to build their prototypes. In spring 2023, these innovators will be eligible to test their prototypes in Round 4 and vie for an additional $2M prize!
In June 2022, IDEaS launched the new Robot round-up – Advanced robotics platforms and control solutions Contest. Canadian innovators were asked to propose a solution using advancements in robotic platforms and methods of control, such as AI, machine learning, haptic sensing, and heads-up display (HUD) that could be leveraged to help the DND/CAF members accomplish high risk tasks. Seven finalists have been invited to demonstrate their solutions.
Sandboxes
Sandboxes are opportunities for innovators to get their products and services in front of National Defence experts and demonstrate their capabilities. Innovators receive observational feedback from DND/CAF experts, and potential users. Demonstrations are experiences where innovators are given real world defence scenarios and equipment to test their technologies.
The second IDEaS Sandbox for Rise, Detect, Defeat: Countering Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS) took place from September 12 to October 7, 2022, in Suffield, Alberta, with companies from Canada and abroad who demonstrated their innovations. Due to the success of CUAS 2022 and the rapidly evolving nature of the security threat and technology solutions in this challenge space, IDEaS will be conducting a third CUAS Sandbox in 2024.
2022 CUAS sandbox facts
Long description
- 12 companies
- 3 test lanes comprising 48 sq km
- 509 drone flight sorties
- Longest test: 30km
- 34 military/police/scientific expert observers
- 67 visitors from 10 countries
