Targamite and Purdue University to Collaborate on Artificial Intelligence/Robotics Project

March 26, 2017

Targamite LLC, the Fort Wayne-based robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) R&D company, and Purdue University have inked a formal research sponsorship agreement to develop, test, and implement AI algorithms for controlling adaptive robotic targets.

The collaborative project is to be carried out by the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Analogical Constructivism and Reasoning Lab (ACoRL), led by Dr. John Licato, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, with the support of the IPFW Information, Analytics, and Visualization (IAV) center, led by Dr. Beomjin Kim, Professor and Chair of Computer Science, and several IPFW computer science students.

The technology developed through this project will be incorporated into the next generation of the TARGABOT® moving shooting target, the center point of Targamite’s focus on human-robot interaction, resulting in the enhancement of (1) robotic situational awareness, networked group experiential learning, and adaptive behavior responsiveness; and (2) human threat discernment / engagement capabilities, and real-time decision-making.

“We see this as just the beginning of a very productive collaboration with Purdue,” said Gary Kaufman, CEO of Targamite. “Drs. Licato and Kim are incredibly enthusiastic and talented and the students have already been terrific. We’ll be doing a lot together to develop this important technology.”

“This project is an example of how an active research program at IPFW and the businesses of the NE Indiana region can really benefit each other,” said Dr. Licato. “It’s an exciting time to be involved in computer science, and I’m glad we can bring these opportunities to the region and the students.”

The broader impacts of this important collaboration between Targamite and IPFW include an understanding of how to design and deploy smart training algorithms that will increase the shooting accuracy and judgment of military and law enforcement personnel. By significantly improving firearms training for the military and law enforcement through the use of robotics and artificial intelligence, society will benefit in, at least, two very important ways: one, it will reduce the amount of deaths and injuries suffered by non-combatants; and two, it will better prepare the modern-day warfighter and police officer, since the training algorithms are tuned to emulate the realistic movements of human adversaries. Training for reality with the aid of robotics and artificial intelligence will, ultimately, make our armed services and our police personnel safer.

About Targamite
Targamite LLC is a privately-held technology development company formed to provide advanced robotic and artificial intelligence platforms focused on the enhancement of human decision-making. The company is currently providing robotic training devices to the armed forces, law enforcement, tactical training, and advanced shooting communities worldwide.

About IPFW Computer Science Department
The IPFW computer science department, in IPFW’s college of engineering, strives to offer students excellent instruction and educational opportunities in computer science and information systems. Its faculty engages in a wide variety of research areas, including: artificial intelligence, internet of things, information visualization, data mining, human-computer interaction, virtual reality, and more.

For more information on Targamite LLC:

Contact:     Diana du Pont
Address:    6917 Innovation Blvd., Fort Wayne, Indiana 46818
Tel:        805-453-9333
Fax:        866-679-9073
Email:        dcdupont(at)targamite(dot)com
Website:    http://www.targamite.com

For more information on the IPFW Computer Science department:

Contact:     Kaye Pitcher (CS department)
Address:    2101 E. Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Tel:        260-481-6803
Email:        pitcher(at)ipfw(dot)edu
Website:    http://www.ipfw.edu/departments/etcs/depts/cs/cs