Indigovision surveillance technology selected by U.S. Navy IT Laboratory

America's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center in San Diego licenses cutting-edge surveillance technology for remote controlled security robots

22 March 2002 - IndigoVision, a world leader in live networked video technology, recently announced it has licensed its VideoBridgeä technology to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego (SSC San Diego), the U.S. Navy's provider of information resources to support military mission execution and force protection.

IndigoVision custom designed a miniature version of its commercial VideoBridge system for use in SSC San Diego's development of tactical surveillance and security robots. The smaller size and increased capability is tailored for use in remote sensing and robotic applications throughout the Department of Defense. SSC San Diego has already deployed VideoBridge-enabled autonomous robots to patrol military warehouses, and will further utilise the technology in their ongoing research and development (R&D) activities focused on applying information technology to national security.

"As one of our first major U.S. deployments, we couldn't have asked for a better partner than SSC San Diego," said Oliver Vellacott, chief executive officer at IndigoVision. "The U.S. Navy's adoption of our technology is a strong validation of our long held belief that VideoBridge is the de facto industry standard in delivering high-quality video and design flexibility."

SSC San Diego is charged with developing technology for use in the collection, transmission, routing, displaying and management of data essential to naval operations. As part of these efforts, SSC San Diego maintains R&D programs spanning a wide range of disciplines, including electro-optics, underwater acoustics, engineering psychology, robotics, artificial intelligence, microelectronics, chemical oceanography, and environmental and biological sciences. It is currently using VideoBridge for digital video and audio transmission in robots.

Each robot contains multiple cameras connected to the VideoBridge VP604, a miniature Video Processor Unit (VPU) board that compresses and transmits video content over a wireless Ethernet, to be remotely viewed via an operator's hand-held VideoBridge-enabled device. Following development of the prototype systems, SSC San Diego competitively solicits contracts with companies such as SAIC, General Dynamics Robotic Systems, Allied Aerospace Industries, and Cybermotion, for production systems.

"Given the importance of our efforts in U.S. national security, we carefully evaluate all candidate technologies before adaptation and deployment," said Mike Bruch, SSC San Diego project manager for the Man-Portable Robotic System. "In our search for a small, integrated, all-digital data/audio/video RF link, IndigoVision's technology fits our requirements well and provides exactly the video quality we need."

By deploying IndigoVision's VideoBridge technology, SSC San Diego is able to add digital live networked video applications to nearly any networked device. VideoBridge negotiates the various video standards, enabling a security device to utilise the standard(s) best suited for individual applications, while maintaining a common thread of interoperability across each VideoBridge-enabled product. In addition, VideoBridge-enabled devices provide for significantly improved video quality, faster event retrieval, smooth integration with existing security systems, and cost-efficient storage.

About IndigoVision Group plc
IndigoVision Group plc is a leading supplier of video intellectual property to major semiconductor and product manufacturers worldwide. Founded in 1994, IndigoVision operates from headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, with offices in Tokyo, San Jose and Boston. IndigoVision floated on the London Stock Exchange (IND.L) in August 2000. IndigoVision's rapidly growing range of partners and licensees include Panasonic, Videology, Baxall, Ultrak, Coe and Cirrus Logic. For further information please visit www.indigovision.com.

About VideoBridge™ Software & Hardware
Marketed under the VideoBridge trade mark, IndigoVision's software and hardware technology (including chip design), powers products which deliver live networked video, for example, networked video cameras and networked video recorders.

Applications include security, distance learning, process monitoring, access control, entertainment and business communication. VideoBridge technology can switch in real-time between multiple industry-standard protocols for compression, transmission and recording, so that a VideoBridge powered product can span multiple video applications
 

For further information
Katy Windsor / Natasha Virtue
Firefly Communications Ltd
Tel: 0131 553 0150
E: katy.windsor@fireflycomms.com
natasha.virtue@fireflycomms.com

Julie Cumberland
IndigoVision Group plc
DDI: 0131 475 7321
E:j.cumberland@indigovision.com