INVISIO, U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Advancing Wireless Tactical Communications Through Customer Collaboration

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A cooperation between INVISIO and the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has showcased the benefits of co-development when it comes to developing tactical communications solutions for military operators at speed, resulting in the INVISIO Link™ solution.

INVISIO worked with DIU, which in turn collaborated with a customer within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, on a Wireless Crew project to provide integrated wireless communication capabilities using INVISIO’s market-leading technology.

The combination of DIU’s ‘customer collaboration’ concept and INVISIO’s values of innovation and customer first approach ensured an agile initial scoping process as well as iterative prototyping.

The project resulted in the delivery of a wireless communications solution to the customer, enabling multiple crewmen to utilize multiple vehicle mounted radios in varying environments (maritime, land, and air), without traditional hardwire connections and the limitations often associated with wired comms solutions.

Initial scoping not only covered the specific project but outlined requirements for the entire solution. From this INVISIO developed a wireless intercom solution, INVISIO Link™, that combined with the existing body-worn communication system, delivered a solution. This was achieved through two years of iterative and incremental feedback from multiple operational uses and challenges.

Jacob Tranegaard, Director Intercom Product Management at INVISIO, said: “This project is groundbreaking for so many reasons and allowed us to speed up the process, taking this project from conceptual phase to publicly announced product in less than 24 months.

“The collaboration with the end customer facilitated through DIU meant we could work through the design and scoping phase in an open environment, producing the first-ever INVISIO project that involved government stakeholders in the scoping phase of a development project.”

Working with DIU allowed INVISIO to undertake evaluation events and prototypes, speeding up the testing and contracting process, as well as using DIU’s input to expand and understand the product market fit beyond the initial US Government user request. DIU also assisted INVISIO in developing its first-ever project with US Government-usable encryption levels.

The result is the creation of a modular wireless intercom solution for a variety of use cases across the US DoD, Law Enforcement and other NATO forces.

Jacob added: “With the help of DIU, we have been able to launch and market the product earlier than usual, as well as widen our target market for the product beyond the initial project.

“This project not only showcases the benefits of collaboration and our relationship with DIU, but also demonstrates the focus by INVISIO’s R&D department on innovation, teamwork and a customer-first approach.”

Pre-released to the public earlier this year, INVISIO Link™ is currently pre-selling throughout the world and for many use cases, including but not limited to small boat crews, firefighting LTVs, helicopter rescue swimmers, flight line maintenance crews, and rapid response security teams.

Following the success of collaborating with DIU, INVISIO welcomes future innovation partnerships with end users and government entities on additional INVISIO Link™ solutions, as well as future research and development on the next generation of tactical communication solutions.