Accurate Automation Corporation developing emerging technologies
Unmanned Systems for the Maritime Applications
Accurate Automation Corporation (AAC) serves as a showcase for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program by demonstrating that small business holds the key to future technological growth in the United States. Backed by more than 20 years of experience, Accurate Automation s SBIRs have been provided by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Objectives of the SBIR program, under which AAC does the foundation of its work, include stimulating technological innovation, strengthening the role of small business in meeting government research and development needs, and increasing the transfer of technology from government research and development programs to private sector applications. Since its inception in 1985, Accurate has provided products and systems for the military and commercial customers. Company Mission Our manned and unmanned systems enhance human capabilities. Company Vision Our Sentinel USV provides protection for our homeland and for defense of our country. Our unmanned boats not only operate autonomously but also incorporate smart and cryptic technology for the War fighter in their mission. The unmanned boat uses offthe-shelf commercial hulls, propulsion and electronics to keep costs down and increase reliability. Our technologies, such as antiporpoising and RF protection, will transition into the commercial marketplace. Our payload capabilities are unique, and with the UAV launch and recovery, our range is beyond the horizon. Our Values Accurate Automation s team is encouraged to be innovative and practical with creativity, and is driven by the desire to provide our customers a superior and unique product. 3
Technology Accurate Automation Corporation (AAC) develops revolutionary unmanned vehicles including both aircraft and boats. These vehicles incorporate advanced software, control systems, mission planning, sensors, and image processing. AAC s plasma products include plasma aerodynamics and protection devices that guard against high-power, short-pulse Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI). Products / Services / Other Application Areas of Technology Accurate Automation Corporation has developed and delivered intelligent unmanned systems for both flying and maritime operation. We have manufactured neural network multiple instruction, multiple data (MIMD) hardware and software. Patents include sensor fusion and target identification using biologically inspired algorithms. AAC has recently developed an intelligent Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), utilizing our proprietary technologies developed over the last two decades. These USVs can be operated with complete autonomy, on an unmanned or manned basis, using commercially available boats outfitted with this technology. Our boats are employed in a wide range of applications, including reconnaissance, rescue and recovery missions in dangerous or hostile environments, or for delivery of payload or ordinances, on targets miles away from the initial launch point and command station. The autonomous feature of our USV enables a single operator to control and monitor multiple Unmanned Vehicles (UAVs and USVs) simultaneously, thereby keeping personnel out of harm s way. Our boats use numerous sensors and electronics (many are proprietary) including high resolution cameras, radar, and sonar, as well as chemical, biological and nuclear detectors. We are currently testing launch and recovery of small UAVs from our USV. These UAVs are networked with the USV and provide a forward presence for the operator. Further, the critical electronic infrastructure contained in our USV is protected from electromagnetic interference and attack by using another of our proprietary products, the plasma limiter. Accurate Automation has delivered USVs to various Navy activities in a variety of missions, and adapted to handle the unique payloads for our customers. A limited military utility assessment has also been completed.
UNMANNED SYSTEMS AAC designs, builds, and flies research aircraft to test advanced aerodynamic shapes for subsonic as well as hypersonic aircraft. This same technology has been applied to the Sentinel Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) for the Navy. These vessels use our adaptive neural network based control and data acquisition systems that learn and adapt to their environment. LoFLYTE incorporates several important innovations in its design, including the Mach 5 Waverider shape. A chief goal of the LoFLYTE program is to demonstrate that neural networks can safely and efficiently control an aircraft during flight. AAC is currently flying the X-43A-LS, a Mach 10 shape to further test many LoFLYTE technologies. The program includes the investigation of low speed approach and landing characteristics of a hypersonic lifting body configuration and the evaluation of an adaptive neural network control system. The Gun Launched Observation Vehicle (GLOV ) is a 5 gun shell or mortar round that will convert to UAV after being fired to 10,000 feet, fly to a target and send back video to mission planners for 2 hours. These vehicles are able to be controlled as autonomous systems using mission planning. Accurate Automation developed a prototype missile that can be launched from military aircraft.
PLASMA A plasma limiter is a transient suppression device that combines the fast rise-time response of a solid state diode with the high power handling capability of a traditional gas discharge tube. The limiter is ideally suited to provide front-end protection of radar equipment from electronic warfare systems such as High Power Ultra Wideband (HPUWB) and High Power Microwaves (HPM) along with protection from lightning and static discharge. It achieves this order of protection by having a fast turn-on time and a high current handling capability. Drag reduction of shock waves ushers in a new era for high speed flight and high speed machinery. NEURAL NETWORKS AAC s core technology is the Neural Network Processor (NNP ) and neural network software, as well as the applications expertise that is necessary to take neural network products to the market. Artificial neural networks work like the brain to recognize patterns, make decisions, and perform many other common tasks.
Military Army Navy Marines Air Force Missile Defense Agency DARPA Government National Science Foundation NASA Centers for Disease Control Federal Aviation Administration Homeland Security Veterans Administration Industry Boeing Brunswick General Dynamics Lockheed Martin Northrop Grumman Other Customers Universities Medical Foreign Governments
Since 1985 Accurate Automation has developed intelligent systems for control and signal processing. As a result of winning three prime National AeroSpace Plane (NASP) contracts in the early 1990 s, the company shifted its efforts towards the development of intelligent systems for aerospace applications. After developing its NNP line of special purpose parallel processors in the early 1990 s, the company gained worldwide recognition for its development of the unmanned LoFLYTE aircraft in 1996. This led to an increased focus on aircraft technologies. Accurate Automation is currently focusing on two product areas, unmanned vehicles including both boats and aircraft, and plasma products. These plasma products include protection devices that guard against high-power, short pulse Electro Magnetic Interference, and plasma aerodynamics. Accurate Automation has an outstanding management team led by Mr. Robert Pap, whose involvement in the development of advanced aircraft with NASA, Lockheed, and Accurate Automation spans over 30 years. Dr. Richard Saeks, a Fellow in AIAA and IEEE, is the CTO and VP of Engineering. Chad Cox leads the unmanned systems team and has delivered a variety of Sentinel and UAV aircraft to the military.
For more information, please contact: Mr. Robert (Bob) Pap, President Accurate Automation Corporation 7001 Shallowford Road Chattanooga, TN 37421 423-894-4646 http://www.accurate-automation.com rmp7001@accurate-automation.com