Core Competencies

Mobile Computing – Timeliness, security, and availability of information are critically important in government and commercial applications. Next Century employs innovative uses of mobile platforms and wireless networks in these domains, and has the requisite expertise to build scalable, reliable, and flexible systems.

GIS and Mapping – Spatial visualization, mapping, and alerting are central to our approach to designing and implementing Strategic Insight solutions. Next Century possesses extensive expertise in the rapid, efficient processing, integration, presentation, and dissemination of spatially enabled information.

Data Presentation and Visualization – Next Century works closely with end users to identify the information that is most critical to them in performing their job or mission, and then prototype interfaces with innovative methods for presenting “at-a-glance” information in a highly intuitive and rapidly actionable fashion.

Core Competencies

Signal Processing – Next Century has extensive experience with the effective integration of imagery intelligence (IMINT) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) data in ways that are highly beneficial and insightful for the end user. Our extensive background in the image and signal processing domains with the strong expertise of key partners, has enabled us to provide users with real-time actionable intelligence.

Data Fusion and Aggregation – Mining, integrating, fusing, and aggregating relevant information from multiple disparate data sources is a formidable challenge. Next Century incorporates our own leading-edge innovations with approaches formulated by key partners to effectively achieve this goal.

Core Competencies

Image Processing – Next Century architects and implements comprehensive image processing solutions for a wide variety of defense, intelligence, and medical applications. Next Century has two image processing toolkits available: OpenELT and WIRES.

IT Infrastructure and Support – Next Century provides a comprehensive set of services to support the design, installation, operation, management, and continuous improvement of IT infrastructures.

Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER)

Customer: National Library of Medicine

HTTP://WISER.NLM.NIH.GOV

Solution Mobile and web-based decision support system to quickly

identify substance and provide critical substance information Synchronizes with the NLM Hazardous Substance Data Bank

(HSDB) to provide critical information (patient care, chemical specs, protective equipment, containment suppression tactics, cleanup, etc.)

Intuitive, simple, and personalized user interface

Results Operational Versions for Palm OS, Pocket PC, Windows, and

Web (including phone) 5000 chemical substances Radiological/nuclear event support (30 radioisotopes) Biological event support (12 agents) Coming soon: Wireless collaboration

Freely available (over 200,000 copies downloaded) Very well received and appreciated by user community

“This is one of the best tools ever created for emergency response, period!” – DOD user

Problem First responders to a Hazmat incident must be able to rapidly

determine the substance (chemical, radiological, or biological) and the appropriate response.

Measurement and Signature Intelligence Tactical Information Fusion (MASTIF)

Customer: OSD

Problem The warfighter has a limited capability to detect, identify, and track small groups of

hostiles and threats employing natural and man-made obscurants.

Solution Networking MASINT, IMINT,

and SIGINT sensors Use warfighter needs to cue

in near real-time MASINT, IMINT & SIGINT sensors against targets in different environmental conditions from an aircraft

Supports retrieval of archived data for analysis

Results Currently conducting flight

testing

Weather Risk Analysis and Portrayal(WRAP)

Customer: U.S. Army Research Lab (ARL)Problem For mission planning and execution, commander

and warfighter need to assess potential weather impacts (effectiveness and survivability) on equipment and personnel .

Military and commercial weather forecasts are moving to ensemble (probabilistic) forecasts, making already complex information that much more difficult to visualize.

Solution Intuitive, easy-to-use weather-based decision aid

for mission planning and execution Calculates and visualizes weather forecast

impacts using familiar “stoplight” colors

Enhanced depiction to reflect uncertainty around boundary conditions Incorporates user’s risk tolerance (relates to operational risk management – ORM)

Results Additional funding from Office of Secretary of Defense and Air Force Weather Agency to implement use

of JEFS data and web-based version

Advanced Visualization Tool Customer: DoD IntelligenceProblem

The old system provided an email like display, making it difficult for analysts to track and synthesize all the data. In high-volume periods, data would scroll off the screen.

Results The analysts can now clearly

recognize critical patterns within the data flows and apply powerful tools to further filter and highlight information to truly “connect the dots”.

Access to tools, configuration, etc. (TBD)

Move to Hot List – view Hot List

Historical Group Activity Bar with Temporal Slider, Aperture Control, Aperture Activity Bar, Mode and Temporal Status

Item Focus (drill down) – create new window or tab with only this item.

Total activity count within the

selected aperture.

Item Activity Bar – depicts this item’s activity filtered from the aggregate and within selected aperture.

ItemsAttribute of Item ( configurable )

Time Frame and Group Information

Sort by item, most

recent activity,

most active activity or

other information.

Item Activity Bar can help to detect trends and overlaps

occurring across items.

Solution Real-time and look-back

modes, monitor real-time information while analyzing historical events and patterns

Alerting and geospatial support

Extensive “drill-down” and data-exporting functionality

Data filtering and highlighting features to assist in analysis

Threat Warning System Customer: US Special Operations Command

Problem Front-line warfighters need easy,

intuitive access to basic Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) information (i.e. direction, location, and classification of signal-based threats)

Access to real-time information requires use of SIGINT equipment that is complex and heavy

Solution must be lightweight, rugged, and low-power

Solution Intuitive, easy-to-use interface displaying real-time threat information in a geospatial context Integration of lightweight body worn antenna vest, receiver, CPU, and arm-worn display Open architecture allows for easy insertion or replacement of key software and hardware

components, as well as incorporation of additional sources of threat data and other intel Networked system enhances situational awareness, allows SIGINT specialist control of ODA

systems, communication of target locations and lines of bearing

Results Field tested by SOCOM personnel at the Ft. Benning MOUT site

“[The operators] are very confident in using the system to reliably detect and find RF emissions.” “… The system is very easy to learn and operate and … can provide vital intelligence in the conduct of their

missions.”

Problem No existing automated processes come close to

the ability of a human being looking at images to identify objects of interest.

Years and billions of $ of R&D to develop software algorithms to find objects of interest in images have had limited success.

The volume of images to analyze has continued to grow.

Solution Using recent advances in our understanding of

how the brain processes images and the biological evolution process, develop and evolve algorithms that approach the efficiency and accuracy of the human brain for image understanding.

Evolve a solution to visual object recognition using an EvoDevo approach in combination with Genetic Algorithms to create a neural network.

Results Achieved 92% recognition using Serre

algorithms from MIT

Achieved 96% recognition using algorithms evolved from scratch

Advanced Image Recognition R&D(EvoDevo)

Customer: DoD Intelligence

Neural Architecture

Detected Results

CHALLENGE: Find the Cats Segmented Image

Problem Scientists and researchers need an efficient

method to create large-scale studies and gather data from study subjects.

Solution Computer-based study creation, administration,

and data collection

Desktop visual designer allowing researcher to easily assemble complex electronic surveys using a sophisticated user interface

Commercial grade CERTAS desktop protocol and survey design system constructed with .Net and C#

Results Surveys and questionnaires automatically

transferred to handheld devices for data collection from subjects, saving time and increasing data quality

Well received by researchers during usability testing…“intuitive”, “easy to use”, “elegant”, “wow!”

Configurable Electronic Real-Time Assessment System (CERTAS)

Customer: PICS

Toxic Observation and Response Aid (TORA)

Customer: U.S. Army Research Lab

Problem Soldiers need a tool for dealing with toxic releases in the

field. The soldier may or may not have communications back to

the base, where there are good chem-bio systems. The soldier’s tool needs to be intuitive, quick to setup, and

draw little power.

Solution A PDA-based solution that combines

WISER, for toxic identification and treatment information Basic plume prediction A map-based display

Always have an answer Provide the soldier with action recommendations Depict contours that relate to impacts As time and network allows, get better answers.

Results Effort proved viability of WISER and plume modeling operating on

mobile platforms

Performance DNA Desktop

Customer: Outcome Systems

Problem Conversion of paper-intensive, Human Performance Improvement methodology into a

desktop-based software application, supporting novice and advanced users Allow user to navigate both an extensive set of directions and a large data set

Solution Provide a form-based application Use tree-based navigation to

support organization and process induction

Provide alternative views that allow navigation directly by interviewee and form

Provide innovative “meta-analysis” tools to define model behavior

Allow at-a-glance view of form completeness

Results Delivered a fully functional Version 1.0, amid strong demand from user community

mQuitSmoking Cessation using Cell Phones

Customer: PICS

Problem Need to develop a personal cell-phone software application to help

smokers “kick the habit” Need the ability to measure quit rates achieved

Solution Patented smoking cessation algorithm for cell phones using a Java micro-

edition based solution Alarming system that reminds users when/when not to smoke Simple, intuitive, user interface for wide applicability Transfer of smoking behavior data captured on a central server for

analysis

Results Delivered a fully functional version Early indications very positive Future - formal medical research study with real smokers who want to quit

to validate the efficacy and usability of the solution

Problem A log of all events must be kept on U.S. Navy submarines

(legal record)

The current logging application was antiquated

Solution Working side-by-side with APL personnel, Next Century

helped to design, implement and test the next generation of tablet-based EDL.

Designed to support SSN and SSBN subs Java-based, platform-independent, robust design Intuitive, easy-to-use user interface that supports logging

and onboard analysis Built-in review, editing, and approval features

Results Fleet operational

Electronic Deck Log (EDL)Customer: Johns Hopkins Univ. Applied Physics Lab

Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN)

Attack Submarine (SSN)

Problem Law enforcement agencies have limited time to complete

Daily Observation Reports (DORs).

Need of a tool to reduce the time required to complete DORs

Solution ADORE automates the DORs completed by training

officers. ADORE can compile a trainee's daily rating chart and

generate comparison charts and reports which assist in analyzing trainees, trainers, and the training program as a whole.

Results "Ease of use for evaluations, Great for tracking progress

of trainees. Great customer service and follow-up.“ - Bullhead City, AZ Police Department 

“My field trainers love it....... FTOs now can spend more time training rather than worrying about the evaluating and documenting portion of their phases.“ – US Capital Police, Washington, D.C.

Automated Observation Reports and Evaluations (ADORE)

Customer: MdE, Inc.

ADORE – Web Based

ADORE - PDA