SBIR-STTR Award

Yotta Navigation proposes to develop Mass Fatality Tracking System (MFTS) tagging device to aid first responders in locating victims during a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI). The proposed IHM-TAG leverages Yotta Navigation’s history of developing low-cost wearable devices, along with building on Yotta’s Intelligent Human Motion (IHM) software for accurate positioning in difficult GPS environments. The IHM-TAG design planning in this SBIR will include feasibility studies, hardware selection, hardware prototyping and field experimentation into position accuracy and battery life. The IHM-TAG shall augment GPS to provide a higher level of position accuracy using low-cost, low-power motion sensors to improve the positioning accuracy over that of standalone GPS. The overall system of IHM-TAG devices, cloud server, and first responder visualizations will provide the ability to track and manage a large number of victims and fatalities throughout all the phases of the MCI response.Yotta Navigation will work in Phase I towards commercializing the IHM-TAG technology. A commercialization strategy will be put in place alongside the technology feasibility studies. The IHM-TAG navigation technology is directly applicable to industries such as warehouse human positioning, first responder tracking indoors and human logistics inside factories. Yotta will market the IHM-TAG tracking technology to commercial entities, using feedback to improve and guide decisions during the design process.

Yotta Navigation proposes to develop a Mass Fatality Tracking System (MFTS) tagging device to aid search and recovery teams in locating victim remains during a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI). The Phase II effort will provide the DHS stakeholders with two sets of prototype Yotta Tag devices, complete with the supporting cloud-based database and User Interface (UI) applications. The first set of 10 prototype devices will provide for robust testing of the product by stakeholders to refine requirements. The second set of 30 prototype devices will be used in a large demonstration exercise for final testing and evaluation. The tags shall operate in the harsh environments experienced during an MCI, with testing for each type of environmental condition. The design will embody an MFTS tagging system that can be demonstrated at capability TRL 7 at the end of the 24-month Phase II. The devices will be designed for manufacturability to meet the $50 price requirement in the production phase.Yotta Navigation is uniquely suited for providing accurate locations to the MFTS recovery tags when in GPS denied or degraded environments. Technology for indoor positioning, sensor-based context detection and wake on motion power cycling will be integrated into the Yotta Tag System to provide robust positioning and contextual data for remains recovered. Yotta has a proven track record of delivering sensor-based tagging hardware and software, creating an alternative navigation source to counter GPS system limitations. Yotta Navigation personnel have extensive experience supporting US Government projects, creating secure real-time navigation hardware, software, and algorithms.