Taylor Butterfield carries a UND unmanned aircraft. Photo via UND relations.

Last week the UAS center at the University of North Dakota received a gift from the Silicon Valley based company, MotionDSP.

MotionDSP makes advanced image processing, computer vision and video analytics software that helps companies extract critical information from real-time video to answer high-stakes questions.

Some of the customers of MotionDSP include Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing as well as many police departments in major cities.

“We received two software packages from the MotionDSP company from UND alumni who work for the company.” said Al Palmer, Director of the UND Center for UAS Research. “This software will greatly improve what the UAS program can accomplish,” Palmer said. “Valued at $75,000 per package, we are very fortunate to have received this from the alumni.”

The software, named “Ikena Forensic,” is one of the many Ikena products that MotionDSP offers. Others include Ikena ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and Ikena WAMI (Wide Area Motion Imagery).

Ikena Forensic helps analysts to quickly identify objects such as license plates on cars to produce forensically valid evidence. Now, decision makers like judges and juries can clearly see the facts that only experts could discern before.

Ikena Forensic is currently used in law enforcement, commercial security, intelligence, test & measurement and transportation.

“It is a greater way to enhance images than ever before”, Palmer said. “It’s like if you wanted a panoramic view of a landscape using several pictures, this program will piece it all together.”

This MotionDSP will greatly enhance the video and picture capabilities of the software found on the UAS using the Ikena Forensic program. With it, the UAS program will continue to develop into an even stronger program.

Colin Johnson is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].