CTC and EVC Collaborating to Develop Advanced Tools for Assessing AI-Driven Drones and Robots in Real-World Mission Environments
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), in partnership with its technology transition affiliate, Enterprise Ventures Corporation (EVC), has secured a nearly $2 million, two-year contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The competitively bid contract marks CTC’s first prime position on a DARPA contract since 2012.
Under the contract, CTC and EVC will address the critical need to ensure the reliability and security of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) autonomous systems in real-world operational scenarios.
Currently, there is no standardized process to red-team AI/ML systems across diverse mission environments. CTC and EVC will develop and apply innovative methods to test and validate the performance of autonomous systems in representative mission environments.
By developing advanced approaches to assess and validate autonomous systems under realistic operating conditions, CTC and EVC will help ensure that military autonomous systems, including drones and robots, operate safely, responsibly, and as intended under various conditions.
The project builds on CTC’s extensive research in AI Assurance, which began in 2018, and leverages EVC’s production expertise in materials science and engineering.
Advancing AI Assurance for Military Autonomous Systems
The initiative will focus on developing tools and methods to evaluate AI-driven autonomous systems under realistic mission conditions. These approaches will help assess how systems perform across different operational environments and identify potential reliability and security concerns.
The work is intended to support the safe and responsible use of autonomous technologies in military applications.
“This award is a testament to the innovative work our team has been doing in AI Assurance and our ability to deliver solutions that address critical national security challenges,”
said Chris Hamilton, CTC President and CEO.
“We are honored to partner with DARPA on this important initiative and proud to contribute to advancing the safety and reliability of autonomous systems for the Department of Defense.”
“This project represents a significant step forward in ensuring that AI-enabled systems behave predictably and responsibly in complex mission environments,”
said Dave Saranchak, CTC Executive Director, Data Science.
“Our team is excited to bring cutting-edge solutions to this effort and to support DARPA’s leadership in advancing AI technologies for national defense.”
Supporting Safe and Responsible AI Development
The contract aligns with CTC’s strategic focus on advancing AI Assurance and supports the U.S. government’s commitment to developing safe and responsible AI technologies, as outlined in recent Executive Orders and Department of Defense policies.
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) is an independent, nonprofit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization. CTC collaborates with its technology transition affiliate, Enterprise Ventures Corporation, to provide transformative, full lifecycle solutions through research, development, test, and evaluation work.
Enterprise Ventures Corporation (EVC) is the technology transition affiliate of Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC). EVC’s mission is to transfer advanced technologies designed and created by others to the marketplace and deliver high-quality, competitively priced products and services to its clients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the value of CTC’s new DARPA contract?
The contract is valued at nearly $2 million and covers a two-year period.
2. What is the main objective of the contract?
The project aims to develop advanced methods and tools to test and validate AI and Machine Learning autonomous systems in realistic military mission environments.
3. Which organizations are collaborating on the project?
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) and its technology transition affiliate, Enterprise Ventures Corporation (EVC), are collaborating on the contract.
4. What autonomous systems will the project assess?
The work will focus on military autonomous systems, including AI-driven drones and robots.
5. What is AI Assurance?
AI Assurance involves evaluating AI systems to help ensure their reliability, security, safety, and predictable performance under different operating conditions.