Warrant Technologies Awarded NASA Grant; Company’s Artificial Intelligence Research Supports NASA’s Missions to Moon & Mars
Warrant Technologies, LLC, announced today it has been awarded a NASA grant focusing on artificial intelligence research and advancement in support of Space Tech Development.
The technology company’s proposal was “one of 363 proposals from small businesses and research institutions across 41 states help advance the types of capabilities needed” for NASA to land astronauts on the Moon in five years and establish a sustainable presence there,” according to a press release from the federal agency.
“Warrant’s phase one award for “Deep Neural Net and Neuromorphic Processors for In-Space Autonomy and Cognition” is the first hurdle that could lead to the design, development, and production of evolvable logic devices here in Southern, Indiana. This is really exciting and truly cutting-edge technology,” said Michael Norris, CEO of Warrant Technologies. “Exciting projects like these help us keep the amazing talent that Indiana’s Universities produce here in Indiana. Warrant’s lead engineer on this project is a U.S. Navy Veteran and Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University.”
The “proposals will support aeronautics, human space exploration and operations, science, and space technology,” according to NASA. Warrant’s proposal describes an electronic device with a minimal spatial footprint and extremely low power consumption – a device designed by artificial intelligence for artificial intelligence.
“We are excited about the entrepreneurial, innovative ideas that these small businesses are bringing to the table,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in NASA’s press release. “The technologies show great promise in helping NASA achieve its objectives across all mission areas, including our efforts to send American astronauts to the Moon, and then on to Mars, while also providing a long-term boost to the American economy.”
The grants are part of NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and awarded an estimated value of more than $45 million. Warrant, a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) located in downtown Bloomington, IN, is one of roughly 100 first-time recipients of a NASA SBIR or STTR contract.
Warrant’s research will be spearheaded by Derek Whitley, the project’s Principal Investigator. Mr. Whitley is an Indiana University Bloomington PhD candidate in Complex Systems (School of Informatics) and Cognitive Science (Brain and Psychological Sciences) and a Sr. Engineer for Warrant.
“This grant award is in direct alignment with the artificial intelligence research I have already been performing for my dissertation (at IU). My research at Indiana University is focused on creating AI methods that do not rely or execute on traditional computers,” Whitley said. “More specifically, I’m researching AI algorithms that learn to build physical electronic circuits whose normal operation solves the kind of problems we want them to and under the same constraints that NASA has articulated. It’s effectively using one type of AI to generate a special circuit that runs a different type or multiple types of AI. This alignment of research priorities is beneficial to myself and to Warrant, NASA and Indiana University. It’s extremely exciting and very humbling.”
About Warrant Technologies
Warrant Technologies, LLC, designs, builds and tests solutions in the areas of systems engineering and operations support for customers including Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), and the State of Indiana.
Warrant’s team of system and software engineers provides innovative, reliable solutions to the nation’s most sensitive and mission-critical programs and systems. The company supports NAVSEA Training Systems providing design and development for the Advanced Training Domain (ATD) and NSWC Crane information technology (IT) across the departments providing network and systems administration, software design and development, and cyber/IA. Warrant also supports NSWC Crane’s Maritime Electronic Warfare (MEW) group providing logistics data management in accordance with 13882b/GEIA 0007 and training systems support for Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) and Advanced Off-board Electronic Warfare (AOEW).
NASA’s SBIR and STTR programs
NASA’s SBIR and STTR programs encourage small businesses and research institutions to develop innovative ideas that meet the specific research and development needs of the federal government. The programs are intended to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, increase the commercial application of research results, and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged persons and women-owned small businesses. astronauts to Mars. The technology missions on this launch will advance a variety of future exploration missions.
