NSWC PHD, GBL Systems team up on new tech for navy use

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) has expanded its presence in the technology transfer arena through the cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) inked with GBL Systems Corp., a provider of systems engineering and custom software products.

The CRADA agreement includes the evaluation of advanced augmented reality (AR) and cyber and biometric authentication technologies and practices at the command’s Fathomwerx Lab during the 2022 Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) and Coastal Trident Port and Maritime Security Program.

Research and development efforts will focus on commercial technologies that could potentially apply to navy ships.

Three specific technologies will be explored with the CRADA:

• GBL Systems’ FutureOrb identity management, which offers a framework for biometric authentication with a dual function of physical access control;
• the company’s cyber forensics integrated triage tool (Cyber-FITT), a portable digital forensics device;
• and content-authoring technology for immersive instruction using AR and virtual reality (VR).

These technologies will be collaboratively researched and developed between GBL Systems and NSWC PHD’s principal investigators with the CRADA, and demonstrated during the open house portion of this year’s ANTX/Coastal Trident event scheduled for this September.

GBL Systems principal scientist Michael Soltys said his team is excited to work with the command and formalize what had previously been an “informal” arrangement via Fathomwerx Lab, a public-private partnership on Port of Hueneme property.

“While GBL Systems has worked for decades with Naval Air Systems Command at Point Mugu (in Port Hueneme, California), our collaboration with NSWC PHD is new; we are excited to showcase our solutions and test them for the specific needs of NSWC PHD and the larger afloat Navy,” he added.