At 3.1 pounds, L-3’s new VideoScout-MXR offers frontline warfighters full video capture, exploitation and management capabilities in a pocket-sized, portable Windows-based computer. The system includes an integrated L-, S- or C-band receiver and allows users to easily capture, archive, analyze, search and retrieve video from unmanned vehicles, networks and other sources to create real-time, actionable video intelligence. At the end of a mission, warfighters can connect the VideoScout-MXR to a network, large monitors, keyboards or peripherals to create a full, shared workstation environment to assist INTEL operations. With capabilities to receive and leverage critical video and data at their fingertips, the system helps put greater situational awareness and battlespace control directly into the hands of those who need it most. VideoScout is a fieldproven family of systems currently deployed by U.S. forces. The U.S. Marine Corps recently ordered and is accepting delivery of 600 VideoScout-MC mobile laptop systems with integrated L-, S- and C-band receivers. As with the -MXR, the -MC helps personnel better leverage the video they receive from aerial vehicles, intelligence feeds, targeting pods and other common sensors.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
OCR Solution
NovoDynamics Inc., an In-Q-Tel portfolio company, recently announced the launch of VERUS Asia, an Asian language OCR software solution that provides support for both simplified and traditional Chinese, Korean and Russian languages. The software draws on the same powerful digital content recognition capabilities of the company’s VERUS Middle East software for Middle Eastern languages.
VERUS Asia automatically detects and cleans degraded and skewed documents, automatically identifies a page’s primary language, and recognizes a page’s fonts without manual intervention. In addition, it converts images of printed information into editable and searchable computer texts, determines if a page contains manual or hand-written text and allows extracted information to be converted into searchable PDF files. VERUS Asia Professional also offers an application programming interface that allows thirdparty companies to integrate its capabilities into their products and supports machine translation plug-ins that give customers the ability to automatically translate extracted information to other languages.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
LED Flashlights
Streamlight Inc. has introduced two superbright, polymer personal lights, the Streamlight PolyTac, featuring a high-performance xenon incandescent bulb, and the Streamlight PolyTac LED with the latest in C4 power LED technology. Their compact size, combined with their strong, tough polymer casing and high light output, make both lights perfect for a wide variety of law enforcement and tactical uses.
“These lithium-powered polymer lights are lightweight, while offering exceptional durability and brightness,” said Streamlight chief operating officer Ray Sharrah. “The LED version uses a power LED, which provides two to three times the output of Super High Flux LEDs, and the xenon model offers super-bright light as well. Whether used on nighttime patrols, investigations or just carried in a back pocket or holster, these small but tough tactical lights are ideal for police, and military and tactical personnel to carry.”
The incandescent xenon PolyTac offers a light output of 6,000 candela peak beam intensity and 72 lumens measured system output, while the LED model offers 4,800 candela peak beam intensity and 120 lumens measured system output. The PolyTac model uses a 6-volt xenon bulb, and the LED version features a C4 LED bulb that is impervious to shock with a 50,000-hour lifetime. The xenon model also offers an adjustable head, which allows for variable spot-to-flood focus.
The xenon version provides 80 minutes of continuous runtime to the 10 percent output level, and the LED version offers three hours of continuous runtime to the 10 percent output level. The PolyTac weighs 3.9 ounces while the PolyTac LED weighs 4.1 ounces. Both lights measure 5.22 inches in length and 1.25 inches in diameter.
Video Surveillance
Odyssey Technologies Inc., manufacturer of Remote Eyes digital video management systems, has launched a new generation of PC-based surveillance equipment featuring high-resolution H.264 compression with real-time recording frame rates.
“The incorporation of H.264 technology into our Remote Eyes line represents a huge step forward for our customers in terms of image quality, resolution and frame rates,” stated Odyssey CEO John Webster. “Many competitive products are still using dated and inefficient compression techniques such as Wavelet and MJPEG or are just now migrating to MPEG-4. By incorporating H.264, Remote Eyes is leapfrogging the industry and offering our customers the best video surveillance technology available on the market today.”
The new system line became commercially available on February 2, 2009, and offers users the ability to record all cameras in full 4CIF resolution at up to 30 frames per second per camera. Unlike most products in the industry, there is no need for users to budget or allocate recording frame rates across the cameras.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Breacher Paste
Sentry Solutions Ltd., a dry lubrication provider to the military, law enforcement, firearms and outdoor sporting markets, has developed a fire-resistant solution for law enforcement and military breaching teams: Breacher Paste. Because of the fire-resistant properties of paste, the customary fireball is significantly reduced when the explosive charge is detonated, thus reducing potential injury to the breaching team or occupants on the other side of the entry area.
Breacher Paste works as an intermediate between the target and the explosive breaching charge. It assists in holding the charge to the target, while still permitting precise adjustment of the charge or easy removal of the charge if the shot is aborted. It may be used on all types of targets including wood or metal doors, stucco, masonry, concrete and more, while working on either wet or dry surfaces over a wide temperature range.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
High Frequency Manpack Radios
Codan, and Codan U.S. Inc., have announced the availability of the RC-50 high-frequency (HF) modem for their 2110M (military) manpack radio. The new 9,600 bps modem provides high speed transmission of e-mail, imagery and other applications over challenging HF networks.
“The RC-50 modem has been greatly anticipated by customers worldwide,” said Andrew Sheppard, vice president and general manager, Military and Security Division, Codan U.S. Inc. “We are currently participating in trials with a number of customers, who are testing the new release of the modem with their Codan 2110M radios. The modem complies with military standard (MIL-STD) 188-110B and will support future NATO interoperable waveforms.”
The RC-50 modem supports Microsoft Outlook e-mail software, which is integrated to the 2110M manpack radios, and provides an HF wireless gateway to connect to Ethernet networks to enable future networking applications. Fully integrated with the ALE (automatic link establishment) capabilities of the Codan 2110M radio, the RC-50 provides easier data connections with optimum channel selection and throughput.
Codan radios are in use in more than 150 countries and are known for providing fast, simple and reliable voice and data communications.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Rugged Notebook
The new GD8000 notebook computer by General Dynamics Itronix is now available for military personnel, field service workers and first responders who require high-performance computing while working in extreme temperatures, humidity, dust and rain-soaked environments.
“Our customers told us that to perform their mission-critical duties, they needed a notebook that was more rugged, had longer battery run-time and was equipped with a display they could see in all lighting conditions. We responded by producing the GD8000, a unit with the industry’s best drop protection, rain resistance, battery run-time and display viewability,” said John Schneider, business unit director for General Dynamics Itronix.
Engineered to operate in extreme conditions, the GD8000 kept working after multiple 42-inch drops onto a hard surface, operated in the rain for more than four hours and successfully booted up in freezing and scorching temperatures. Powered by the Intel low-voltage Core2Duo processing architecture, the notebook is housed in a user-friendly, ergonomic casing with a 13.3-inch DynaVue touchscreen display. The GD8000 delivers uncompromising performance from command centers, to helicopters, to tactical vehicles and everywhere in between.
Jan Ohara; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Teledyne RD Instruments (RDI) has announced the release of its new self-contained Explorer Doppler Velocity Log for precision littoral underwater navigation applications. Now, in addition to Teledyne RDI’s remote head Explorer, the self-contained configuration offers users proven broadband technology packed into a single housing for power and go applications. The self-contained unit also boasts a new phased array transducer, offering reduced size and weight, plus enhanced system performance. The unit is rated to 500 m to cover littoral navigation needs.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it