Geographic North Pole Pointer

To address the ArmyÆs need for a new rugged, lightweight, compact north-finding technology that can provide a precise measurement of heading relative to true north in GPS-denied environments and in the presence of interference such as magnetic fields or overcast skies, Intellisense Systems, Inc. (Intellisense) proposes to develop a novel low-size, -weight, and -power (low-SWaP), completely autonomous, robust, ruggedized, Geographic North Pole Pointer (GNOPP) based on a combination of compact precise MEMS vector magnetometers integrated with supporting MEMS precise tri-axial accelerometers and gyroscope, all of which controlled by a single-board FPGA-based computer with GNOPP magnetometer calibration, extended Kalman filter, and artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms and software, providing true North pole finding accuracy of ?0.2o, in the presence of hard- and soft-magnetic field sources and various geomagnetic noises. In Phase I, Intellisense will design a proof-of-concept low-SWAP GNOPP system capable of either stand-alone or platform-integrated operation, and compatible with the Army Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). This design will include GNOPP hardware and software integration and a detailed description of how a user or system integrator would interact with the system. By the end of Phase I, the final deliverables will include a breadboard demonstration of the GNOPP and a concept design presentation featuring anticipated performance, SWaP, and cost estimates for it. In Phase II, Intellisense will develop and demonstrate GNOPP prototypes based on the specifications identified in Phase I and ensure via documented reports that the prototypes and associated software comply with all elements of the Army MOSA standard, such that it can be integrated into existing and future Army systems for demonstration, testing and evaluation, such as the ArmyÆs Weaponized Universal Lightweight Fire Control (WULF) system across a range of training and operational environments. By the conclusion of Phase II, Intellisense expects to demonstrate and deliver two technology readiness level (TRL)-7 GNOPP prototypes that meet the ArmyÆs operational needs, including results of testing the prototypes and a user manual describing how a user can perform a heading measurement in a stand-alone use case. The developed prototype should be able to measure heading relative to True North to within 1 degree (threshold), 0.2 degree (objective).