Soar Technology, Inc. 3600 Green Court, Suite 600, Ann Arbor, MI 48105 Andrew Dallas VP Federal Systems / adallas@soartech.com / 734-887-7603
Modeling human reasoning. Enhancing human performance.
Objective SoarTech seeks continued growth as a software research and development company providing product-enabled services that bring intelligence into software applications focusing on training, analytical decision making, and autonomous unmanned systems. We seek opportunities that allow us to: (1) continue the development of our products through continued research into human and computer cognition; (2) build intelligent systems that support the full sense-making cycle; and (3) work with customers and partners that help us transition this technology into operational use. SoarTech’s strengths lie in advanced concept development, maturation of technology from our university partners, and the development of mature prototypes that are ready for testing and deployment into operational use. We seek to pair these strengths with partners who have experience in building and supporting large-scale systems via Programs of Record and other forms of acquisition funding. Our research-based products have the potential to fulfill system requirements in innovative ways in order to reduce cost, reduce risk and provide advanced capabilities to warfighters.
Leadership Statement Soar Technology, Inc. (SoarTech) excels in the research and development of intelligent software agents that are directable, understandable and trustworthy. Our agents work under the direction of a human operator to automate complex tasks, simplify human-machine interaction, and model human behavior for military and civilian applications. Central to our technology approach is the requirement that the agent’s behavior be transparent; that is the human operator must understand what the agent is doing and when the agent can be trusted versus needing more direction. A spin-off from the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Laboratory of the University of Michigan, SoarTech was founded in 1998 to develop applications of the Soar cognitive architecture, which enables the creation of the intelligent software agents.
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Modeling human reasoning. Enhancing human performance.
Core Competencies Since its inception, SoarTech has expanded its offerings beyond research and development based on the Soar architecture to include: `` Human behavior model (HBM) and social-cultural model development for intelligence analysis, experimentation, and training `` HBM integration with games/simulation systems (OneSAF, OTB, JSAF, EDGE, Unity3D, Gamebryo, XCITE, etc.), and distributed simulation design and engineering `` Human-machine interaction design and intelligent user interface design `` Agent-based C2 systems `` Robotic control frameworks `` Cognitive architectures research and development
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Application Areas
In our Intelligent Training business area SoarTech develops adaptive training technologies and intelligent behavior models to support simulation-based and immersive training applications. SoarTech’s adaptive training technologies provide pedagogically varied training and assessment experiences based on an understanding of the needs of each individual learner. In addition, SoarTech’s robust, transparent and directable kinetic and non-kinetic intelligent behavior models cover the full spectrum from socially and culturally focused for SSTR training to tactically focused for MCO training. SoarTech also develops serious games that integrate our adaptive training technologies and advanced behavior models. Serious Games
When there is serious training to be done, we build games that may combine full spectrum HBMs, social-cultural HBMs, and adaptive training technologies to deliver an immersive engaging training experience suitable for both classroom exercises and online training applications. Pedagogic Tailoring and Intelligent Tutoring
At the cutting edge of the ongoing shift towards individually tailoring learning experiences, our adaptive training technologies offer an array of tools for understanding the needs of the individual learner and providing both extrinsic and intrinsic adaptations to the learning experience in order to address these needs. Social-Cultural Behavior Models
Social-cultural HBMs represent group or individual behavior specific to a culture, capturing the way people of different cultures perceive, interpret, and behave in their environments. “Culture appropriate” computer-based training is an affordable, accessible way to practice life in a foreign country. Cultural modeling tools are a powerful support for operational planning and analysis. Kinetic Behavior Models
Full spectrum HBMs represent humans performing in operational settings, such as tactical-level military missions. Our full spectrum HBMs can carry out their mission goals, react to threats, and coordinate actions with other entities without human supervision − or, they can take on-the-fly input from operators.
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Application Areas
The same technologies that have enabled SoarTech to bring human-level intelligence and natural, multi-modal interfaces to simulation systems are now being used to build intelligent, directable, and collaborative autonomous robotic systems. The Autonomous Platform business area is building systems that bring intelligence to robotic platforms to free humans from being “tethered” to a robot—making the robot a true “teammate” of the human instead of a piece of equipment. Control for Autonomous Platforms
Like HBMs, intelligent agents for robotics control minimize the percentage of time devoted to interaction with a robot or unmanned vehicle and maximize the percentage of time that the operator can neglect the robot while maintaining oversight of the robot’s actions. SoarTech’s control architectures are capable of working with single or multiple platforms and incorporate autonomous behaviors for task planning and mission planning; moving in formation; approaching a detected object; forming, joining, or leaving a team; relinquishing/accepting control of an asset; and learning behaviors from demonstration. Human-Robot Interfaces
Dialogue-based, mixed-initiative interaction control systems and speech interfaces such as our Universal Controller make the job of tasking a robot or autonomous vehicle natural while increasing span-of-control through the integration of speech, sketch, voice and haptics to create an efficient HRI under diverse operational situations. Our interfaces are designed to be platform independent and meet industry standards.
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Application Areas
The most complex thing humans do is decide. A single decision requires that you accumulate evidence from diverse sensory inputs, associate past memories, integrate knowledge from repositories, collaborate, address uncertainty, learn, convert raw information to symbols, reason and, finally, decide. Deciding is a natural part of cognition that humans do easily and naturally. At SoarTech, we build systems to mimic this process by leveraging human-computer synergy with advanced reasoning constructs that are native capabilities of the Soar Cognitive Architecture. What can you imagine? Anticipation
Anticipatory systems monitor activities and anticipate your information needs based on a changing world. They understand your role and goals and provide you with the information you need, when you need it, and the way you need to see it to be useful. Anticipatory systems are being applied to everything from sensor analysis to cyber information systems. Cognitive Information Display
Cognitive information displays combine the latest visualization techniques with user mode and decision theoretic algorithms, widgets, graphs, or monitors but on an understanding of your goals and what information is important to you, displayed in a manner most appropriate for the situation. Cognitive information displays are being used to interface with higher-level, multi-INT fused data and network security systems.
Markets/Customers SoarTech focuses extensively on the U.S. Federal Government. The preponderance of our work is with the Department of Defense however we also have projects with the NASA and the Department of Education. Our current customers include: `` Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency `` Department of Education `` US Army PEO-STRI
`` US Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
`` US Air Force Research Laboratory
`` US Army Research Development and Engineering Command, Simulation and Training Technology Center
`` US Navy Office of Naval Research `` US Navy Naval Sea Systems Command `` National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Partners SoarTech partners as a sub-contractor and a prime contractor with many US Companies. Lead System Integrators we typically team with include: Alion, BAE, General Dynamics, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Rockwell-Collins, and SAIC. SoarTech also teams extensively with small to mid-sized companies. In addition, SoarTech’s connections to the University of Michigan, University of Southern California and Georgia Tech provide many specialized university, government, and business relationships.
SoarTech awarded $5M contract for DARPA’s BOLT program / September 30, 2011 / SoarTech has just been awarded $5M to support DARPA’s BOLT (Broad Operational Language Translation) effort. On this effort, SoarTech will be developing deep semantic language acquisition using robotic visual and tactile information as input for experiential learning of objects, actions, and consequences. This will enable robots to acquire language capabilities by grounding objects (nouns and associated adjectives) and actions, giving them the ability to hypothesize and perform automated reasoning in the acquired language. Team Michigan wins MAGIC 2010 / December 1, 2010 / Ann Arbor, Michigan– Teaming with the University of Michigan, SoarTech was recently awarded first place and $750,000 at the first Multi Autonomous Ground-robotic International Challenge (MAGIC 2010). SoarTech’s real-time 3D interface featuring SAGE (Situation, Actions, Goals, Environment) impressed the judges and helped Team Michigan take first in the competition to develop a team of robots that could operate autonomously in urban combat zones. SoarTech is developing new planning methods for the Office of Naval Research, Small Unit Mobility Enhancement Technologies Program
SoarTech is developing a context based reasoning and situational awareness component for ONR’s SUMET (Small Unit Mobility Enhancement Technologies) effort. SoarTech is applying cognitive architectures to provide mission-oriented unmanned ground vehicle navigation and decision-making above the level of near-field obstacle detection and avoidance, integrating far field information into a world model and drawing inferences about the current situation from that information to trigger updates to mission plans. The initial implementation has been successfully demonstrated in simulation, producing a significant increase in mission completion and vehicle survivability. That implementation will be transitioned onto the SUMET UGV hardware in 2012. SoarTech is developing a Smart Interaction Device for controlling robots for each of the Services SoarTech has been awarded $1.27M from the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Research laboratory, and the US Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center supporting the development of a Smart Interaction Device (SID) for natural interaction with unmanned platforms. SID facilitates a multi-modal dialogue between the user and the UxV, which can include speech, sketch or gesture or a combination of those. SID will enable supervisory control of one or more unmanned platforms to reduce the workload on warfightersand make UxVs in general more usable by a wide array of users. SoarTech has already demonstrated SID with real and simulated UxVs.
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Profile SoarTech’s executive staff has many years combined experience in business development, planning, and management. They have held positions in the commercial and government sectors, including AFRL, ONR, Lockheed Martin, The Center for Naval Analysis, DARPA, and Vector Research. Dr. Michael van Lent / President and Chief Executive Officer / Dr. van Lent received a PhD at the University of Michigan in 2000. His expertise is in applying cognitive science approaches to military problems. Dr. van Lent is a recognized expert in the development of advanced simulation systems for military training. He has participated in the design and development of many immersive training applications including Full Spectrum Warrior, Full Spectrum Command, the Joint Fires and Effects Trainer System (JFETS), ELECT BiLAT, and UrbanSim. Ms. Katherine Harding / Chief Operating Officer / Ms. Harding leads the technical staff and the execution of scientific and technical projects for Soar Technology, Inc. Her expertise is in technical project management. Ms. Harding received dual MBA and MSE (Industrial Systems Engineering) degrees from the University of Michigan at Dearborn in 1999 and a BS (Mathematics) from the University of Michigan in 1986. Mr. Andrew Dallas / Vice President, Federal Systems / Mr. Dallas oversees the company’s business development and customer coordination activities with the federal government. Mr. Dallas brings over thirty years of executive experience in the federal government and is a founding member of the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) and currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer of the RTC. Prior to his employment at Soar Technology, he held senior positions within the Navy and Department of Defense. Mr. Dallas holds BSE (1979) and MSE (1986) degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Mr. Pat McLaughlin / Vice President, Technology Innovation/ Mr. McLaughlin is responsible for developing advanced concepts for important market spaces and achieving transition. He has 30 years active experience in the research community. Previously, he was the Technology Innovation lead for Lockheed Martin and responsible for radical new programs concepts for research agencies. He has a Masters degree in Operations Research from Claremont Graduate School, and a bachelors degree in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College.
Core Advantage SoarTech’s technical staff has extensive experience in intelligent agent design, software development, and integration of human behavior models (HBMs). Fully one-third hold a Ph.D. and another one-third have an M.S. in their respective fields. Many hold DoD clearances at Secret or higher level. SoarTech, itself, has a Top Secret facility clearance.
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