Seeing Machines appointed to Australian defence sector programme

Computer vision technology company Seeing Machines has been appointed by CAE Australia to integrate its eye-tracking technology for an Australian defence industry customer, it announced on Wednesday.

The AIM-traded firm said the engagement, valued at AUD 1m (£0.55m) over five years, followed a successful direct engagement between the company and an Australian defence industry innovation programme delivered over the past two years.

It said that programme exceeded all stakeholder expectations, and as such had opened up several additional opportunities across the defence industry.

Seeing Machines said it had been collaborating with CAE for more than five years through a range of engagements to incorporate its ‘FOVIO’ eye-tracking technology into CAE commercial, military and rotary-wing flight training devices.

The contract represented the first formal engagement between CAE and the company, and would deliver Seeing Machines' crew training system into the defence customer's flight training devices.

CAE and Seeing Machines would install and integrate the system on three lead-in fighter trainer full mission simulators, to improve aircrew training with a specific focus on understanding where the pilot's attention was through human-machine augmentation and advanced sensors.

“We are delighted to be able to continue our engagement with CAE to deliver our technology, moving from an innovation program to a fully integrated, fully operational capability,” said the firm’s general manager of aviation, Patrick Nolan.

“This contract further reinforces the value of precision eye tracking in Aviation in support of pilot training, and we believe that the total market potential across global defence organisations for eye tracking technology is substantial.”

At 0832 BST, shares in Seeing Machines were up 3.18% at 9.85p.