The Israel – U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation today announced three awards for collaborative projects totaling $2.3 million to develop advanced technologies for the homeland security mission. The BIRD Homeland Security (HLS) program is a joint initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Israel Ministry of Public Security (MOPS).
“S&T’s participation in the BIRD HLS program is another great example of ways we seek innovative solutions to homeland security challenges,” said DHS Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for Science and Technology William N. Bryan. “The results of these projects should provide positive results for both DHS and MOPS.”
The BIRD Foundation is a unique U.S.-Israeli partnership that accelerates cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies, academia and other research institutions in a wide range of technology sectors to foster strategic partnerships between companies in both countries for the purpose of joint product development. The program funds up to 50 percent of the combined project budget, up to $1 million per project, and works with companies to identify potential strategic partners and facilitate introductions.
“Expanding the BIRD portfolio to the broader homeland security mission has been a welcome addition,” said Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director of the BIRD Foundation. “We are pleased this new cycle helped recruit new companies to the BIRD ecosystem while continuing to build our strong working relationship with DHS and MOPS.”
The 2019 HLS awardees include:
- Blue White Robotics (Tel Aviv, Israel) and Easy Aerial (New York, New York) to develop a multi-mission, multi-type homeland security HLS drone command and control capability.
- S.H. Goren Management and Innovation (Emek Hefer, Israel) and 3AM (Buffalo, New York) to develop a personal device for firefighters that provides a real-time indoor location tracking of people.
- Cawamo (Hod Hasharon, Israel) and LiveView Technologies (Orem, Utah) to develop a fully turn-key artificial intelligence-based analytics video security solution for remote sites.
Since 2016, DHS S&T has partnered with the MOPS on the BIRD HLS program to seek solutions in first responder technology areas such as protective clothing, wearable technology and situational awareness. The 2019 call for proposals included six areas for U.S. and Israeli collaboration:
- Advanced first responder technologies
- Border protection, including maritime security
- Law enforcement-supporting technologies to combat cyber crime
- Technologies and methods to secure critical infrastructure and public facilities
- Safe and secure cities
- Unmanned aerial systems