MANHASSET, N.Y. — The International Technology Alliance (ITA), an IBM Research-led consortium launched Monday (Sept. 18) on both sides of the Atlantic, will target sensor and wireless network technologies along with security issues.
The coalition includes the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the U.K. Ministry of Defence.
R&D will focus on sensor information processing technology, wireless networks and security issues. Government, academic, and industry researchers from both countries will participate. Over the next decade, the alliance aims to develop technologies worth up to $135.8 million to support future coalition operations .
ITA discussions began in May.
"We hope to gain a lot from technology breakthroughs for both military and commercial applications as a result of this collaborative work," said IBM researcher Dinesh Verma, program manager of the ITA Alliance.
ITA is a continuation of IBM's push to advance the adoption of advanced telematics technologies, including sensors, actuators, RFID and other networked devices, to link organizations for healthcare, education, security and safety applications.
The ITA brings together leading U.S. and U.K. commercial and academic organizations in four interconnected areas: network theory; security across a system of systems; sensor information processing and delivery; and distributed coalition planning and decision making.
The program has 24 industry partners, including: IBM, BBN Technologies, Boeing, Honeywell, Applied Research Associates, LogicaCMG, Roke Manor Research; Systems Engineering and Assessment.
Academia partners include: Carnegie Mellon University, City University of New York, Columbia University, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Pennsylvania State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Aberdeen, University of Cambridge, University of Cranfield, Imperial College of London, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (University of London), University of Southampton and University of York.
In addition to the research participation, IBM is providing project management and contract administration functions in both countries.