news & events archive
local firm invents equipment so battlefield soldier can communicate with headquarters
September 27, 2004
By Ed Waters, Jr.
News-Post Staff
Staff photo by Ed Waters, Jr.
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th, center, listens as Scott Walker, right, director of mobile information technology at Engineering Systems Solutions, explains some of the company's equipment that is helping military personnel in Iraq. At left is Jay Nathan, chairman and CEO of the company, which is located on Industry Lane in Frederick.
FREDERICK — Communication is often the most vital aspect in military operations, and a local company has created equipment that makes keeping in touch among soldiers a lot easier.
Engineering Systems Solutions at 5726 Industry Lane has been a leader in information technology for many years, and its newest line was shown recently to Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-6th, during a brief visit to the 7,500-square-foot ESS headquarters building.
Scott Walker, director of mobile information technology at ESS, explained the system to Dr. Bartlett, showing how a soldier in the field could instantly transmit information back to a central location.
By using a small, hand-held device equipped with a camera and screen, a soldier can take photos of a location or document and transmit the images to a central system mounted in a Humvee a short distance away or back to a headquarters unit where an Arab-speaking soldier or support personnel can translate it and advise what to do.
"It keeps the radios clear for commanders and troops, while those who find documents or information and want to see what it is can send the signal back," Mr. Walker said.
Everything is compact, from the small, hand-held device for the soldier in the field to the central unit, about the size of a small briefcase. A small, square antenna, which folds out quickly and includes a compass for directing it, is included in the central unit.
Another piece of equipment ESS has developed takes photos and other important data and creates an identity card that can be used for refugees or anyone who needs such documentation in a hazardous area.
ESS works a lot with government entities, from military to agencies, on top secret projects. More than 75 percent of the employees have a top secret or higher clearance.
Incorporated in 1993, ESS was founded by Jay Nathan, chairman and CEO, as a computer systems integration and professional services business. A Service Disabled Veteran Owned company, ESS has more than 130 employees and its main customers include all branches of the military, National Security Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institute of Health and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, as well as many commercial customers.
ESS has sent more than 1,500 mobile information technology units to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and its personnel emergency management and tracking systems are being considered for use in disaster coordination by the Department of Homeland Defense, Justice Department and local jurisdictions in the war on terror.
Some of the services ESS offers include support system level engineering and administration, end-user design, engineering and administration, product trade-offs and benefits analysis, needs design analysis techniques, process re-engineering, system modeling and prototyping, system strategy and architecture development and information security engineering and administration.
In addition, ESS has expanded its training services for clients on its equipment from modeling and simulation to classroom and online training, hands-on training, instructional systems design, distance learning and interactive courseware. ESS also can provide custom training programs on- or off-site for customers.
ESS also can assist in conferences and event planning, seminars and workshops and has professionals who are experienced in working with the government in grant and contract administration.
For more information, call 301-698-1177 or e-mail info@essworld.net.
Engineering Systems Solutions, Inc.(ESS) is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned (SDVO) business located in Frederick, Maryland, providing customized solutions that include high-end engineering, design and manufacturing services for a wide variety of fixed and mobile information technology systems. ESS also possesses superior capability in professional services, mission-critical information technology support; lifecycle management, advanced IT training, grants and conference services. For additional information, please visit the company’s website at http://www.essworld.net.
Certain statements in this press release are forward looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. The actual results may differ from those described or contemplated.
© 2008. Engineering Systems Solutions.