Epirus, Inc., a high-growth technology company developing directed energy systems and power management solutions for a range of use cases and mission needs, has been selected for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA’s) Waveform Agile Radio-frequency Directed Energy (WARDEN) Rapid Assessment and Numerical Generation of Electromagnetic Response (RANGER) project. Epirus and The Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC) will collaborate on up to three project phases to deliver software for rapid computation of electromagnetic (EM) propagation effects with the goal of using the technology to advance government and commercial applications.
Significant advances in RF amplifier technology have unlocked a range of entirely new application areas. In order to maximize the effectiveness of these capabilities, Epirus and GTRC are developing algorithms that use mathematical techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict EM behaviors in minutes, not days. Whereas current EM modeling requires costly and sizable high performance computing, the proposed model is extendable, modular and designed to run off commercially available computers to increase accessibility for end users.
“This critical partnership with DARPA will allow Epirus to fast-track innovation to deliver upgraded products and support a wider customer base across industries. Agility and innovation are at the core of Epirus—we’re not taking our eyes off the horizon and are driving lasting innovation to solve tomorrow’s problems, today. I look forward to continuing our work with DARPA as we bring our transformative technology to new markets and contribute to DARPA’s critical mission of preventing strategic surprise,” said Dr. Bo Marr, Epirus Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder.
Epirus’ participation in the program will seek to develop algorithms, AI-based models and source code that accurately and rapidly predict EM and RF waveform propagation. In addition to use cases for the U.S. Department of Defense, the technology presents potential commercialization opportunities by optimizing 5G/6G cellular data transmission, autonomous vehicles, IoT and edge computing capabilities.
Epirus’ findings will benefit community stakeholders via the creation of a continuous information-sharing mechanism to quickly transition the technology to other government and commercial applications. The company is pioneers of the world’s most powerful phased array—and, through participation in the program, will continue to enhance the power and precision of its systems and underlying technology.