Smart Sensor Network for Improved Operations
US Ignite is working with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), the premier research and development center for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and Fort Moore to develop the Smart Installation and Community Dashboard (SICD). The SICD is designed to serve Fort Moore and test technologies that can be scaled to installations across the Army enterprise, as they are proven out in operations. The SICD aims to provide increased awareness to Fort Moore’s leadership through a common operating picture, improving physical security, energy efficiency, and public safety for the base and the surrounding community.
SICD Applications:
The SICD will use Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, data analytics, data fusion, artificial intelligence (AI), and technical solutions provided by industry-leading partners and vendors. These include: cybersecurity and cloud AI researchers from Columbus State University, front-end developers from PixelPillow, Department of Defense (DoD) cybersecurity and systems engineering partners from Karthik Consulting, cloud analytics developers from Plainspoken Digital, remote surveillance design vendors from LiveView Technologies and The Ginn Group, and weather sensing partners in TSI and IntelliSense.
Learn more about the SICD applications that US Ignite is developing and demonstrating in close collaboration with the USACE-ERDC and Fort Moore below.
Remote Surveillance
Fort Moore faces a unique challenge when it comes to securing its vast and porous perimeter, making traditional patrols and asset protection difficult. To address this issue, US Ignite is piloting an innovative, intelligent surveillance system that significantly boosts installation security. This cutting-edge solution involves the deployment and operations of four Live View Technologies (LVT) portable trailers.
During the pilot phase, US Ignite is working closely with the Fort Moore Directorate of Emergency Services (DES), leveraging the operational capabilities of the LVT trailers on a daily basis. Our academic partner Columbus State University, has developed and integrated an advanced algorithm onto the LVT platform to identify and differentiate civilians and soldiers, further enhancing the system’s capabilities.
The LVT trailers have already proven their worth by successfully providing surveillance coverage for special events at Fort Moore, including the Rangers Open House at Camp Merrill, the installation’s Name Change Event, and the 2023 Independence Day celebration. Feedback from users and stakeholders highlights that this solution not only contributes to maintaining a safe environment but also streamlines the efforts of the DES in their surveillance endeavors.
Building Fault Detection
Building faults in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and other electrical systems can often go unnoticed until a tenant complains or a more critical and expensive system failure occurs.
To address this problem, US Ignite has developed a data fusion and artificial intelligence (AI) based platform capable of identifying and alerting the Fort Moore Directorate of Public Works Department (DPW) of building faults. The application fuses multiple data sources and machine learning and artificial intelligence models to determine when buildings consume more-than-expected energy and alert the energy managers of a possible fault.
Energy Cost Savings
Fort Moore spends a significant amount of resources to power facilities across the installation. These facilities may be unoccupied during certain parts of the day, or when soldiers are deployed, undergoing extended training, or working remotely.
To assist the installation in cutting costs and enhancing energy efficiency, US Ignite is examining occupancy patterns using commercially available datasets. Analysis of this data will define the daily and annual trends when facilities are unoccupied and allow the development of an AI model that informs the Department of Public Works (DPW) when to reduce power consumption in those facilities, resulting in significant savings to the installation.
Heat Risk Management
Fort Moore, situated in Georgia, serves as a crucial training facility for the Army’s Infantry, Airborne, Ranger, and other prestigious schools. However, the intense heat prevalent in this region poses significant risks to soldiers during training operations. A recent report by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division Medical Surveillance Monthly Report revealed that between 2017 and 2021, Fort Moore experienced 1,911 heat-related casualties.
To decrease the risk of heat-related injury and increase training time available to units, US Ignite, in collaboration with the Fort Moore Garrison Command, S6, and ERDC researchers, developed a Heat Risk Management application to provide real-time recommendations directly to training safety officers.
The Heat Risk Management application ingests data from a micro weather station deployed at Fort Moore to send alerts when there is a change in the heat categories to the safety officers, who can adjust training plans in real-time without needing to monitor their sensors continuously.
Download the case study to learn more and for additional images.
“I am excited that US Ignite and Columbus State University will be able to use Fort Moore [formerly Benning] to continue research and development of wireless technologies while also advancing the safety of the community. I am proud that Georgia continues to be at the cutting edge of innovation, and I am grateful there are so many people working to ensure our service members have access to the technology they need for operational success.” Senator Raphael G. Warnock (D-GA)