Coda Octopus Seals Navy Deal for Diver Real-Time 3D Head Up Display

Coda Octopus has entered into a Navy Cooperative Research Development Agreement (CRADA) to transition the prototype of the Divers Augmented Vision Display-Head Up Display system (DAVD-HUD) into a complete system that is ready for operational use, with Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD).

The DAVD-HUD first generation system (Gen 1), along with an outline plan for the development of the second, third and fourth generations of the DAVD-HUD, were unveiled by Paul D. McMurtrie, Diving Equipment RDT&E Program Manager for Naval Sea Systems Command at the Undersea Defence Technology 2018 conference held June 27, 2018 in Glasgow, Scotland.

The outline plan indicates that the DAVD-HUD product will advance military naval activities significantly, and is considered a critical deliverable to Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and other naval bodies.

The prototype DAVD-HUD, which includes CODA’s real-time 3D visualization software, has been trialed and evaluated by divers, as well as astronauts, generating much interest for the product and its capability across numerous naval bodies.

The internal naval sponsors of the program have grown substantially since Coda became involved in 2016, as the trials and evaluations have conclusively shown the significant benefits and advancement that the DAVD-HUD will bring to naval operations. Speaking at the conference, Mr. McMurtrie described a four-phase multi-generational development program through 2025, with CODA as the program’s partner that will work in conjunction with NSWC PCD to deliver this critical and state-of-the-art advancement to the military community.

Under the terms of the CRADA, CODA, in collaboration with NSWC PCD, will transition the existing prototype to a first-generation operational system in production no later than 12 months from the date of the CRADA. CODA would then be granted an Exclusive Invention Licensing Agreement to produce and supply the complete system of software and hardware to the Navy and military community. Once released for sale, the DAVD-HUD, along with CODA’s real-time 3D sonar and 3D visualization software which is branded commercially as Echoscope, will be an “Authorized for Navy Use” (ANU) item, allowing these products to be purchased by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Allies.

The agreement to transition and develop the DAVD-HUD prototype is an expansion of CODA’s original brief on program. CODA received U.S. Government funding for the development of the 3D visualization software to be used with the DAVD prototype that was using 2D imaging sonar data. CODA was tasked to bring real-time 3D sonar and diver tracking into the DAVD – displayed simultaneously in real time for both divers in the water and diving operations’ supervisors on the surface, to use to navigate to targets, identify specific targets and conduct operations, such as repair work. The new scope of work extends to developing the second, third and fourth generations of the complete DAVD-HUD, including the helmet with all electronics, as well as the real-time 3D sonar and 3D visualization software.

Annmarie Gayle, Coda Octopus Group’s chairman and CEO said: “I am very excited and pleased that we have been given this significant opportunity to take forward the initial vision of the DAVD-HUD into a real-time, real-world application that will greatly advance defense and military applications. This is a significant development for Coda Octopus as it positions the company to roll out its unique real-time 3D capabilities, both hardware and software, across the Navy – a very important group of users. This is a seismic shift as it paves the way for standardization of our real-time 3D sonar products into this very important market. Although we are on a 12-month contractual commitment to develop the first generation of the DAVD-HUD, we intend to deliver this much sooner and get this critical product into operation across the Navy community.”