Neya Systems, nestled in Warrendale, Pennsylvania, has just dropped something big—the N-Drive. This is a full-stack autonomy platform that’s ready to tackle some of the roughest terrains out there.
Imagine a system that’s been put through its paces on nearly every type of land you can think of, all thanks to some pretty advanced simulation techniques.
It’s a solution that steps up in scenarios where you might be teleoperating or dealing with places where GPS is just a dream, analyzing tricky surroundings and adjusting on the fly.
What’s really cool about the N-Drive is its vehicle-agnostic nature. This means it doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle you’re using—it’ll work. This flexibility comes from Neya’s deep dive into autonomous mining operations.
It’s designed to fit right in with systems like the Mission Planning and Management System (MPMS), Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), and Warfighter Machine Interface (WMI).
Plus, it’s all about that Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), letting you control different vehicles over various terrains without breaking a sweat, while keeping top-notch cybersecurity standards intact.
Kurt Bruck, the vice president over at Neya Systems, put it simply: “With this technology, we can drive anything—no matter what type of vehicle—giving our customers the flexibility they need for their unique missions and beefing up the capability of our autonomous systems.” It’s all about giving you the tools to do more with less hassle.
To bring N-Drive to life, Neya used its Virtual Integration and Simulation Environment (VISE), which is a fancy way of saying they have a killer 3D sensor and physics simulation tool, all built on the Unreal Engine.
This tech lets them simulate how vehicles react to real-world forces like bumpy terrain or sudden acceleration. It means you can anticipate how a vehicle will behave without shelling out big bucks for physical tests.
Part of the Applied Research Associates (ARA) family, Neya Systems recently snagged a 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award.
They earned this for pushing forward a cybersecurity standard that’s just right for autonomous ground vehicles (AGVs).
This effort is all about making sure these vehicles are protected, can bounce back, and adapt by leveraging the U.S. Department of Defense’s Zero Trust cybersecurity principles within their autonomous software.
