Purdue@Westgate to Showcase Indiana Autonomous Technology

(ODON) – Purdue@WestGate is hosting its Indiana Autonomous Day 2020 on Tuesday, March 3 at WestGate Academy

The full-day event, organized in partnership with the Battery Innovation Center (BIC) and Energy Systems Network (ESN), includes a panel discussion, startup showcase, keynote presentation, live technology demonstrations and networking opportunities for attendees.

The event’s panel discussion will be moderated by Matt Peak, managing director of ESN, and will discuss innovation across autonomous systems and their impact on the future of Indiana. After the panel discussion, more than 10 startups and university labs will showcase their technologies and projects related to artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and autonomy from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the lobby area.

Aric Pryor, president and CEO of Quarion Technology Inc

“We’re excited to showcase our Ultra-Wideband Indoor Location System and IoT technology,” said Aric Pryor, president and CEO of Quarion Technology Inc. “We believe we have the best indoor location system in the world, and we’re working with AI tech giants like Mist Systems to take autonomy and AI to new heights with real-time location information.”

The Battery Innovation Center open house will start at 1:45 p.m., and electric shuttle buses provided by McGavic Outdoor Power will run until 3:45 p.m. The BIC open house shuttle pickup point will co-locate with other technology demonstrations just outside the WestGate Academy building. The rest of the technology demonstrations will take place until 4 p.m. at the Unfinished Lab Space (2F) and WestGate Academy building parking lot.

  • Tesla test drive and ride alon
  • Drone races and ag drone demos by Indiana State University.
  • Prototype of semiautonomous towing vehicles presented by LHP Engineering Solutions.
  • Driverless tractor demo by Laird Farms.
  • Tracked Utility Carrier (TUC): autonomous and remote control-capable vehicle demo by RingCo.
  • Autonomous brine vehicle with de-icing capabilities presented by McGavic Outdoor Power.
Ben Wrightsman, president and CEO of BIC

“This is going to be an event you don’t want to miss, especially for those curious about what is happening around WestGate, where the BIC is located,” said Ben Wrightsman, president and CEO of BIC. “By making this event open to the public, our intention is to provide an opportunity for everyone to learn more about how autonomy and AI positively impact mobility, agriculture/farming, 5G/IoT, public roadways and more.”

Purdue@WestGate’s First Tuesdays event and the following networking session, The Spirited Entrepreneur, take place the first Tuesday of every month at WestGate Academy. This year, WestGate also initiated the new weekly workshop series called Workshop Wednesday. Under its mission to extend key assets and knowledge in Purdue’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem for technology-inspired growth and activity, Purdue@WestGate is serving as an entrepreneurial catalyst in Southern Indiana.

“Autonomous systems are changing the way Hoosiers live and work,” said Jason Salstrom, director of Purdue@WestGate. “Hoosier businesses, and our state as a whole, will not be competitive without strong capabilities in both integrating the technologies into our businesses and producing the STEM and entrepreneurial talent to lead the way.” 

A full event agenda and registration information can be found here. For more information about other events and program resources for entrepreneurs, visit the  WestGate website at WestGate-Academy.com.

About Energy Systems Network

ESN is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit initiative focused on the development of the advanced energy technology and transportation sectors. Over the last decade, ESN has collaborated with a range of industry, academia, and government partners to deliver sustainable energy and mobility solutions, including electric car-sharing, vehicle-to-smart grid communications, mobility-as-a-service, and others. ESN’s mission is to leverage its network of global thought leaders to develop integrated energy solutions to increase the quality of life for today and tomorrow. The company’s focus is to reduce costs, emissions, and waste; influence policy; and advance technological innovation. For more information, and to download Emerging Mobility Technologies and Trends, visit www.energysystemsnetwork.com.

About Battery Innovation Center

The Battery Innovation Center is a unique public-private partnership and not-for-profit organization that incorporates leadership from commercial enterprises, government organizations, and world-class universities to focus on rapid development, testing, and commercialization of safe, reliable, and lightweight energy storage systems for commercial and defense organizations. Located near NSWC Crane, the BIC provides both a virtual collaborative network of capabilities needed for the development of next generation energy storage solutions as well as a state-of-the-art $15.6 million energy research lab and testing facility. The BIC is also home to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Battery Energy Storage Technology test facility (UL BEST).

About Purdue@WestGate

Purdue@WestGate is an innovation and technology hub connecting startups, established corporations, universities, local government entities and other organizations to support workforce, entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives. Formed through the partnership of WestGate Authority, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane), Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation, the initiative combines institutional strengths to advance educational, research and development and technology commercialization across Indiana and beyond. For more information about the resources available to businesses, visit WestGate website.

Information provided by writer Sodam Kim, sdkim@prf.org