Thanks to the evolution of detector design, we’ve seen a rise in the number of sensor systems available and being called to action across defence and security. However, as many operators and programme teams are now discovering, they come with one key drawback. Each platform, manufactured by different companies requires a separate software application, and in many cases, a dedicated laptop or tablet to operate. Unfortunately, this is also limiting the ability to integrate sensors to remotely operated platforms on the ground or in the air, leading to operators continuing to use these as handheld devices.
The outcome for the operator in a scenario where multiple sensor feeds are needed is they end up with multiple devices functioning side by side, with different software on each. Quickly, for a solution designed to improve situational awareness we see operators becoming burdened by the very information they urgently need.
Agencies are finding the solution to this challenge is not quick or cheap. But one of the major setbacks is trying to solve this only with software. Some applications are designed and very able to display multiple inputs, offering the operator a holistic view of sensors placed in their environment. However, the real challenge is coming from hardware.
Many of the detectors haven’t been updated in over a decade and with designs harking back to the days of RS-232, standards really haven’t progressed much.
Some BMS (Battle Management Software) used in Scandinavian nations can accept input from sensors in the battlefield, but only those meeting very strict criteria. Of course, we also have training and simulation tools, great to pretend with but when applied to real-time inputs the flounder, losing data and mismanaging the input – all because they miss one key element; PELAmesh.
PELAmesh was designed from the start as a hardware interface able to integrate both legacy (Serial) and modern (Ethernet, USB) sensors into a network of devices. This forward-thinking approach was originally developed for agricultural security, where sensors were placed remotely and had a single uplink to contact the end user to inform them of a significant change. Now PELAmesh is changing the way we network sensors for CBRN, EOD and other hazardous environments – but the actual application of PELAmesh can reach so far and wide it’s often hard to visualize.
Software is great, it can offer a real solution for some problems but often relies on a set range of inputs and expected threads to function. The powerful combination of hardware with standardized outputs means quick integration to software platforms, including in-service BMS.
Patented in 2012, PELAmesh is a rugged sensor network designed to afford operators complete situational awareness. Combined with our hardware, sensors can achieve their full potential while limiting information burden on the operator. Whether using existing software or our own live-mapping tool, PELAmesh offers a significant enhancement to CIS and Sensor Fusion.
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