Effort explores canine wearable technology

An Orlando, Fla.-based firm has secured a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) contract to begin prototype testing of canine wearable technology.

The $199,540 agreement with HaloLights, LLC is part of DHS S&T’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP), adding canine (K9) agents are critical members of law enforcement and border protection teams, but have a high mortality risk due to environmental factors, such as extremely high or low temperatures or dangerous terrain, and injuries in the line of duty.

“With the potential risks Customs and Border Protection canine agents face in their daily operations, there is an expressed desire for improved health monitoring tools to ensure their safety,” Don Roberts, S&T’s Detection Canine program manager, said. “In funding this project, DHS S&T is working to ensure that officer safety, human or canine, is a priority.”

HaloLights would be responsible for further developing its C.H.A.M.P. (Canine Health Analytics Monitoring Platform) technology. The effort funds beta-testing in partnership with the U.S. Border Patrol, which will be providing feedback on the tests.

HaloLights received the DHS award under SVIP’s Innovation Other Transaction Solicitation (OTS) K9 Wearables topic, per officials, who said companies participating in the SVIP are eligible for up to $800,000 in non-dilutive funding over four phases to adapt commercial technologies for homeland security use cases.