Defense Innovation Unit Awards TurbineOne Contract to Develop Machine Learning Capabilities

The Defense Innovation Unit has awarded TurbineOne a multiyear contract to prototype new machine learning capabilities with potential applications in force protection, industrial equipment geolocation and improving the experience in intelligence operations centers.

TurbineOne is expected to work with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s FutureG and 5G Office on the effort.

To support the contract, the company unveiled Sidekick, a new feature of its Frontline Perception System that automatically generates data to build a new detection model. Sidekick incorporates zero shot, an ML technique that enables computers to correctly identify a given object without having previously encountered it.

TurbineOne said in a press release that its platform allows users to manage multiple data types from numerous sensor vendors to build new models. The company explained that conventional computer vision applications are restricted to training data types.

Kurt Andrews, principal investigator for OUSD R&E’s FutureG and 5G Office, said TurbineOne’s software platform can be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance because it enables a do-it-yourself approach suited for military environments.

Collaborative work with DIU will initially be performed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington, TurbineOne said Monday.