DECEMBER 30, 2021 – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the NavalX Midwest Tech Bridge (MTB) recently announced the winners of the Artificial Intelligence for Small Unit Maneuvers (AISUM) Prize Challenge. EpiSys Science, Inc. (Episci) took first place and Draper, Inc. (Draper) took second place. According to their website, Episci is "a multidisciplinary innovation company that develops next-generation autonomous technologies for defense, aerospace, and commercial applications." Draper's website says the organization "serves our nation's interests and security needs; advances technologies at the intersection of government, academia, and industry; cultivates the next generation of innovators; and solves the most complex challenges." "The overall goal of this challenge was to move the technology needle," said Amy Ross, Program Manager for the AISUM Prize Challenge.

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the NavalX Midwest Tech Bridge (MTB) recently announced the winners of the Artificial Intelligence for Small Unit Maneuvers (AISUM) Prize Challenge. EpiSys Science, Inc. (Episci) took first place and Draper, Inc. (Draper) took second place. According to their website, Episci is "a multidisciplinary innovation company that develops next-generation autonomous technologies for defense, aerospace, and commercial applications." Draper's website says the organization "serves our nation's interests and security needs; advances technologies at the intersection of government, academia, and industry; cultivates the next generation of innovators; and solves the most complex challenges." "The overall goal of this challenge was to move the technology needle," said Amy Ross, Program Manager for the AISUM Prize Challenge.

Through the cooperative research and development agreement, scientists at the IU School of Informatics and Computing and at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division will work together to transform existing military sensor technology through machine learning and artificial intelligence. The agreement was signed at the base, which is near Crane, Indiana. The lead researchers on the project are Sriraam Natarajan, associate professor in the IU School of Informatics and Computing at IU Bloomington, and Robert Cruise, chief scientist for the Special Warfare and Expeditionary Systems Department at NSWC Crane. The agreement is part of a larger effort at the IU School of Informatics and Computing to foster partnerships with NSWC Crane, a major economic driver in southern Indiana and one of the largest naval bases in the country. "Artificial intelligence, machine learning and human-computer interaction are three areas of interest to the researchers at Crane, and also areas of great strength at our school," said Martina Barnas, assistant dean for research and director of research collaborations at the IU School of Informatics and Computing.