Herndon, Virginia, Jan. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced a Request for Innovators (RFI) for the Smart Cities Internet of Things Innovation (SCITI) Labs. CIT, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), TechNexus, and Smart City Works are seeking to prototype new internet of things (IoT) and smart city technologies for emergency response and management.
The SCITI Labs effort focuses on extensive validation and go-to-market support through its network of industry partners. SCITI creates an accelerated pathway to market through prototype funding and access to first responders (end users) across the United States. Selected performers will be funded at $50,000 for an initial first cut prototype. Some performers will be identified for a second funded validation prototype (at $100,000) over a total period of 18 months. The goal at the end of the second round is to have commercially-relevant capabilities that will be available for first responders by 2020.
The team is seeking new capabilities to support first responders in three specific areas of interest:
- Navigation and Sensors. Autonomous navigation for indoor drones in support of search and rescue missions in difficult environments such as fire or earthquake damaged structures. Separate prototypes are also sought for two sensors either hand-carried or mounted on the drones: a WiFinder sensor for smart phone signals, and a thermal sensor for detecting the heat signatures of people or other living creatures.
- Indoor building sensor suite. Prototypes are sought for sensors such as digital image, video, thermal or WiFinder to be mounted on fixed indoor building features such as smoke detectors or EXIT signs. Sensor processing will be able to establish baseline layout of indoor space throughout a building, and perform change detection in case of events that impact interiors and/or occupants.
- Smart Hub. Prototypes are sought for a body worn responder interoperability platform that integrates personal area network communications with third-party sensor packages (e.g. integrated voice/coms, indoor building sensor suites). Additionally, the Smart Hub will be required to communicate with non-body worn sensors such as smart building or smart city technologies. Use cases include, First Responder situational awareness and enhanced support of mission-critical operations.
CIT invites parties to express initial interest by January 18, with invited final responses due by February 15, 2018. Final selection will be announced in March 2018. More details about funding, evaluation criteria and the application process are available at www.cit.org/sciti/. Please direct inquiries to SCITI.Info@cit.org for general questions or additional information.
About the Center for Innovative Technology, www.cit.org
Since 1985, CIT, a nonprofit corporation, has been Virginia’s primary driver of innovation and entrepreneurship. CIT accelerates the next generation of technology and technology companies through commercialization, capital formation, market development and revenue generation services. To facilitate national innovation leadership and accelerate the rate of technology adoption, CIT creates partnerships between innovative technology start-up companies and advanced technology consumers. CIT’s CAGE Code is 1UP71. To learn more, please visit www.cit.org. Follow CIT on Twitter @CITorg and add the Center for Innovative Technology on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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