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Vermont Senator
Leahy Instrumental In Securing
Funds...
Air
Force Awards $910,000 Contract
to Ascension
BURLINGTON,
VERMONT: June 1, 2006:
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
recently announced that Ascension
Technology Corporation of
Milton has been awarded a
$910,000 contract from the
U.S. Air Force to fund the
first phase development of
a new, advanced optical tracking
technology.
Ascension Technology designs
and develops tracking and
guidance devices for commercial
and medical applications.
In 2002, it developed the
preliminary model of phasorBIRD,
a state-of-the art technology
for tracking movements of
a pilot’s head with high accuracy
and speed. It enables pilots
to aim weapons, acquire mission-critical
information, and receive self-protection
prompts by looking at a target
through a graphical icon superimposed
on the pilot’s visor.
“Vermont businesses continue
to be on the cutting edge
of new technology,” said Leahy.
“Ascension’s phasorBIRD will
enable our Air Force pilots
to successfully fulfill their
missions, while giving them
another line of defense in
protecting themselves from
harm.”
“We’re proud to play a role
in developing mission-critical
technology for the armed services,”
said Ascension president,
Ernest Blood. “This contract
will get us one step closer
to closing the loop between
man and machine in air and
land combat vehicles.”
The contract funds the first
of a four-phase program for
development and testing of
the phasorBIRD in high performance
technical aircraft. The initial
phase will focus on improvement
to reduce system complexity
and cost, while improving
performance.
Leahy is a senior member of
the Senate Appropriations
Committee and of its Defense
Subcommittee, which handles
the Senate’s work in writing
the annual Defense Department
budget bill, which includes
the Air Force’s budget.
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