NATO DIANA Challenge Program: Sensing and Surveillance

Application Close Date: August 9, 2024

Application Portal: Login ( nato-diana.org )

Solicitation Website: DIANA | Challenges ( nato.int )

Article Reference: Microsoft Word - 2024_Challenge_Programme_WEB ( nato.int )

Sensing and Surveillance

Challenge Statement: The Alliance operates in an environment in which sensing technologies are pervasive, ranging from Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices to space-based Earth observations and cellular biomarker detection. Sensing broadly involves the detection, measurement, monitoring, and analysis of physical or behavioural attributes across various domains. Surveillance refers to the systematic observation of physical domains, places, or things using a variety of sensors, including optical, radio, acoustic, and magnetic.

These sensor and surveillance technologies play a critical role in military operations, enabling forecasting, early warning, situational awareness, post-action assessment, decision-making, and population behaviour analysis. In complex defence and security missions, personnel often operate in challenging dynamic scenarios and adverse environmental conditions, such as bad weather or rugged landscapes. Military environments are often hostile and contested, with electromagnetic and cyber- attacks being common. To navigate these challenging scenarios, interconnected multimode sensors are typically deployed. These sensors improve situational awareness, identify potential threats, and monitor the position and status of platforms and personnel in the mission area.

Example Scenarios: In a military context, a network of interconnected IoT devices and sensors could be deployed across a battlefield to monitor enemy movements, detect potential threats, and provide real-time situational awareness, enhancing decision-making capabilities. These sensors could range from ground-based devices to aerial drones and space-based satellites, providing a comprehensive view of the operational environment. In a civilian context, a similar network could be used in a smart city setup, where sensors and IoT devices monitor traffic flow, air quality, energy usage, and other key metrics. This data could be used to optimize city services, improve sustainability, and enhance the quality of life for residents. In both scenarios, the integration of various sensing modalities and advanced data analysis algorithms would be crucial for extracting meaningful information from the vast amounts of data generated.

These examples illustrate the potential applications of sensing and surveillance technologies in various challenging environments, but they are not exhaustive. We encourage innovators to think creatively about the potential dual-use innovative solutions to sensing and surveillance across multiple domains.

Exemplar Descriptive Attributes: The aim of the Sensing and Surveillance Challenge is to develop innovative (hardware, software, algorithms) solutions that may:

• Enhance the capabilities of multi-modal sensing technologies, improving their accuracy, range, and reliability in various dynamic complex operating conditions.
• Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of interconnected interoperable multiple sensor systems, enabling them to monitor large complex areas with greater detail and accuracy.
• Develop advanced algorithms for signal/image processing, big data analysis and interpretation for improving the ability to extract meaningful information from large volumes of distributed sensing and surveillance data.
• Advance the integration of various disparate sensing modalities and surveillance technologies, creating comprehensive systems that can provide a complete and more accurate picture of the operating environment.
• Use autonomy to enable real-time data collection and analysis, optimise the use of multimode sensors, and enhance decision-making capabilities in various dynamic operational environments.
• Innovate and expand the use of wearable sensing technologies, enhancing the ability to monitor and track personnel in real-time, ensuring their safety and well-being in various operational environments.
• Enhance environmental sensing and surveillance capabilities, enabling continuous monitoring and data collection.
• Ensure the responsible use of sensing and surveillance technologies, balancing the need for security and efficiency with respect for privacy and human rights.

Potential Enabling Technologies and Technical Approaches: May include, but are not limited to the following:

• Advanced Sensing Technologies: examples include space-based sensors, biometric sensors, IoT devices, quantum sensors, CBRNE detectors, etc.

o?? Space-Based Remote Sensing: monitor Earth's surface and atmosphere, providing valuable data for weather forecasting, climate research, disaster management, and military surveillance.

o?? Biometric Sensing: use advanced biometrics to provide secure and reliable methods for identifying individuals based on unique physical or behavioural characteristics.

o?? Wearable Devices: monitor human health/fitness/performance/recovery, smart clothing for monitoring biometric and environmental data, etc.

o?? Internet of Things (IoT): connect multiple devices and sensors for management and logistics, smart homes, healthcare, agriculture and environment.

o?? Data Analysis and Interpretation: involve the use AI/ML algorithms to analyse and interpret large volumes of data, especially multi-modal and multi-domain data.

o?? CBRNE Detection Technology: use to identify and mitigate potential threats and monitor and respond to industrial accidents and natural disasters (e.g., toxic industrial chemicals and energetic materials).

• Quantum Materials: can be used to develop high sensitivity and precision sensors for detection, navigation, communications.
• Novel Materials for Sensing: examples include smart materials, nanomaterials, biodegradable materials, photonic crystals, graphene, etc.
• Drone Surveillance: autonomous platforms with multi-modal sensing capabilities for monitoring the environment and sensing dangerous or hard-to-reach areas.
• Augmented Reality (AR): can overlay digital information onto the real world and provide enhanced situational awareness, remote surveillance, navigation and mapping, disaster response, telemedicine, etc.
• Next-Generation Wireless Technologies: support high-speed transmission and security of data from a vast network of sensors and devices, applicable in smart city infrastructure and real-time military operations.
• Secure Sensor Data Transmission and Storage System: enhance the security of the sensing and surveillance operations but also ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the data, thereby enabling decision-making based on reliable and accurate data.
• Intelligent Resource Allocation and Planning System: use AI/ML algorithms to analyse the data from the sensors and make predictions in a timely manner about the future state of the operational and tactical environment then allocate resources and plan their usage in an optimal and environmentally efficient way.

BACKGROUND

The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) works to accelerate the development of emerging and disruptive technologies across the NATO Alliance. Through a cross-alliance pool of technology innovators, DIANA aims to establish a ground-breaking talent supply base and dual-use technology pipeline to meet NATO’s diverse and increasingly complex defence needs.

NATO operates in a world marked by systemic, global risks and challenges, including pandemics, climate change, resource scarcity, cyber security, nuclear threats, and the potential misuse of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technology. Such risks threaten NATO's core objectives of collective defence for the preservation of peace and security. Together with its partner organisation, the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), DIANA is creating and strengthening effective and responsive pan-NATO ecosystem from which advanced solutions will emerge. As global security challenges are rapidly evolving, complex, interconnected and increasingly interdependent, this ecosystem must be flexible, resilient, scalable and sustainable, adopting a risk-based approach to support the development of technology solutions across a broad set of problems. Throughout the fulfillment of its objectives, DIANA will be guided by principles of responsible technology development and innovation, striving for solutions that are effective, ethical and accountable.

Adopting the approach and principles above, DIANA has developed a set of Focus Areas derived from its 2024-2025 Strategic Direction. These dual-use priorities combine the potential to address NATO’s security and defence needs, scientific and technical feasibility, and market potential, providing a structural framework developed with guidance from the Allies. The focus areas in turn form the basis for Challenge Statements, developed to be as technically agnostic as possible, allowing innovators the greatest flexibility for creativity in proposing novel technology solutions free from preconceived constraints or methods.

For its 2024 call, DIANA will seek solutions in a Challenge Programme comprising five Challenge Statements that address key focus areas from the Strategic Direction; these challenge statements are further refined by three cross-cutting themes (depicted in Figure 1, below).

Three cross-cutting themes are designed to encourage innovators to consider the interconnection of applications and technologies across different domains. These themes are drawn from DIANA’s Strategic Direction:

• Space: The environment of space represents a vast and largely unexplored frontier with immense potential for scientific discovery and technological innovation. It encompasses a wide range of technical challenges, from space exploration and astronomy to satellite technology and space based communication systems and sensing. Cutting across the challenges, space-based technologies involve, or are implicated in, topics that span climate change, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing.
• Resilience: This theme emphasises the need for solutions and technologies that can withstand and quickly recover from disruptions or threats. With this theme, DIANA seeks resilient energy systems, secure and robust data infrastructures, rugged sensing and surveillance systems, adaptable human health and performance systems, and strong critical infrastructures that can withstand various operational environments and challenges.
• Sustainability: DIANA seeks to emphasise the importance of developing and implementing environmentally friendly, energy-efficient technologies and practices that ensure long-term viability. A key part of responsible innovation, this objective is designed to encourage solutions that meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs

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