Hercules Dynamics, a recently formed Canadian artificial intelligence company with operations in South Africa and the Middle East, has showcased the power and adaptability of its Athena AI Core Engine artificial intelligence (AI) solution.
At the recent Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition, Hercules demonstrated its ability to integrate its Athena Core Engine into its Theia AI powered surveillance system and Ares Mission computer.
Hercules’ Athena Core Engine lies at the heart of the company’s mission to provide real-time situational and threat analysis by drawing data from multiple sensors and analysing it for key information be presented to the human in the loop. The company said Athena’s modular AI architecture allows its solution to be rapidly scaled and adapted to a variety of industries with minimal effort in research and development.
Theia, Hercules’ AI Driven Security Systems, provide real-time analysis with various intelligent features. It can take and analyse feeds from cameras operating on the visible and infrared light spectrums as well as radar, and LiDAR. The system is able to provide security and access control through AI-powered facial and vehicle identification. And it can also provide instant alerts for early fire and smoke signs using AI-powered recognition. Other features include an ability to automatically follow moving objects for continuous surveillance.
The company’s Ares Mission Computer provides target acquisition, recognition and identification, as well as tracking and threat detection. Its Hermes airborne systems platform can be mounted onto an unmanned aerial vehicle to provide visible, thermal, radar and LiDAR feeds. And for land systems, different pods are available for situational awareness and advanced perception. In addition, various autonomous systems can be mounted on land vehicles.
Hercules was founded in Canada six years ago and opened a South African office earlier this year.
The company has an office at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria, with which it has a number of collaborative research projects. One of these projects is on mining and infrastructure monitoring.
It will use its local office to sell into other African countries and Asia. Earlier this year Hercules acquired the South African engineering division of Aselsan, the global Turkish defence electronics company. A Hercules office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, sells into the Middle East.
While police, border security, and surveillance markets are important to the company, its products are also well suited to the monitoring of pipelines and extensive areas with solar panels.
Hercules said it currently has partnerships with several blue chip companies in a number of industries, including in the commercial security, telecommunications, automotive and oil and gas sectors. It has a partnership with Meteksan Savnunma, a Turkish defence company specialising in radar and perimeter laser systems.
The company was founded by two Canadians, Kaizer Poonawalla, the Group CEO who raised the finance, and Angshu Pradhan, the Chief Technology Officer and the architect of the AI Core engine. Finance for the start-up was raised in Canada and the Middle East. Shamendran Pillay, a South African with a long career in the local defence industry, is the CEO of the company’s local operation and the firm’s Chief Strategy Officer.
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