Oxford, UK – 11 September 2017 – Vicon, the motion capture technology specialist for the entertainment, engineering and life sciences industries, today announces that IMeasureU has been selected as a partner to develop a data recorder to be worn by Australian soldiers.

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, today announced two industry partners will receive $700,000 from the Next Generation Technologies Fund to develop the equivalent of a Black Box for soldiers.

Start-up company, Myriota, a telecommunications service provider in Adelaide and iMeasureU, a New Zealand company specialising in wearable technologies, have been selected to develop the ‘Fight Recorder’, a novel, soldier-worn system for capturing valuable battlefield information.

The funding of $700,000 is to be shared between the two companies.

‘These companies were selected from an outstanding field of forty-seven applicants from industry and universities across Australia and New Zealand,” Minister Pyne said.

“Working closely with the Defence Science and Technology Group, they will help us deliver this world-first innovation.”

Akin to the aviation Black Box, the Fight Recorder has been conceived by Defence scientists as an emergency beacon to reduce the time taken to reach and treat battlefield casualties.

“Survival rates for battlefield casualties are closely tied to response times and the Fight Recorder will enable Defence to quickly locate and treat casualties,” Minister Pyne said.

In addition to serving as a location beacon, the data captured by the Fight Recorder could be used to inform the design and performance of soldier equipment and protective ensemble.

“With the excellent quality of the proposals received for the Fight Recorder, our SMEs have once again demonstrated that they are well placed to deliver on Defence innovation,” Minister Pyne said.

When fully developed, the Fight Recorder could provide benefits in other physically demanding occupations including emergency services and law enforcement.

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