Vanguard Magazine

24 JUNE/JULY 2021 www.vanguardcanada.com INNOVATION Results Building A slow and steady buildup of hard work, calculated pivots, and strategic relation- ships have been the foundation for success in building a defence research ecosystem. And solutions are starting to roll in. "In just its third year of operation, the program has supported innovative research that includes taking inspiration from octo- puses to create artificially intelligent cam- ouflage. It has also helped fund the devel- opment of cutting-edge cyber attribution that is already in the hands of our troops for testing. And this is just the beginning. Many new projects are to report results in the coming months, some of which will be tested, off-ramped, or purchased directly through an independent call for proposals by DND/CAF," says Mr. Fournier. Two projects from the IDEaS program that progressed through the Competitive Projects stream have already been selected for an IDEaS Test Drive by DND/CAF members. These innovative solutions will be tested by the military in real-world sce- narios. Over the next year, the program hopes to see several solutions complete their early development work from IDEaS and be acquired by the program where we can see changes in defence capabilities. Test Drives offer a unique finale for IDEaS program innovators. After develop- ing the technology with the help of IDEaS funding, specific innovators may be invited to test their technology with DND/CAF and to receive feedback in real-time. "The relationship between the IDEaS program and innovators, can continue for many years, and we see the technology go from a low readiness level to almost fully deploy- able within a few short years," says Mr. Fournier. "It can result in a fully-formed product ready for purchase and use by DND/CAF, through an independent ac- quisition process, which is really exciting." Though not all projects will reach the Test Drive stage, some projects are being offered various off-ramping opportunities. Partnerships grown with other Canadian government departments and agencies has brought a fresh opportunity for budding innovators looking for a market for their products if the solutions do not meet the CAF's needs. "The spillover effect of investigating in these new technologies is that while not all will be a viable solution for DND/CAF, we are able to allow innovators to continue their journey with the help of other gov- ernment partners, programs, and funding opportunities," explains Mr. Fournier. Generational Offshoots The benefits of a robust innovation eco- system are varied. DND/CAF builds capa- bility; innovators get advice, guidance, and money; intellectual property gets created; and funding is used to generate economic benefits for Canada. But the technology that is created also has generational ben- efits. Technologies like cyber attribution, improved pandemic response, and inte- grating autonomous systems into opera- tions will have broad societal benefits, but also benefit our military. It's an exciting time to be in the innovation business. And like any good innovation, the IDEaS pro- gram will continue to evolve. Photos: DND

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