The U.S. Army has awarded nearly $9 million to 11 small businesses to develop artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions that will lead to more informed Army decision making, facilitate autonomous operations and increase the speed and scale of military action.
The awards are in response to three contract opportunities released by the Army Applied Small Business Innovation Research Program for U.S.-based small businesses to propose technologies in the following areas: armament system artificial intelligence data logger and architecture; artificial intelligence for additive manufacturing part selection; and self-contained personnel safety systems for people in and around autonomous vehicles.
Six of the of the 11 awardees received Phase I contracts for up to $250,000 to focus on the scientific, technical and commercial merits and feasibility of their innovations. The program also awarded five companies Direct to Phase II contracts of up to $1.7 million each for small businesses ready for the prototyping stage.