US Army Selects Band XI to Research Condition Based Maintenance Prognostics & Diagnostics

WEST HARTFORD, CT. -- June 9, 2006 -- Band XI International, LLC, an agile software and systems company, today announces the US Army has selected them for R&D contract which attaches to threir previous Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) as a Phase III contract.

The objectives of the research and development is to develop a software architecture, based on the MECS platform, that will provide support for the rapid development of applications for doing on and off-vehicle diagnostics and prognostics to facilitate improved fleet management, maintenance, and logistics. This research effort will deliver three reference implementations to prove the technology.

Basic Reference Implementation: A software only implementation that demonstrates deployment of prognostic and diagnostic algorithms using OSGi technology.

Commericlal Reference Implementation: Integration of the BRI with a J1939 test bench, demonstrating the ability to interact with a commercial controller area network (CAN).

Military Reference Implementation: Integration of the BRI with a MIL STD 1553 test bench, demonstrating the ability to interact with military bus controller.

Band XI International offers nearly a decade of experience in developing embedded Java applications that rely on a loosely coupled, highly cohesive component model. Band XI engineers have deep experience working with similar proprietary components and frameworks and know their comparative strengths and weaknesses. As a member of the Eclipse Foundation and the Open Services Gateway Initiative (OSGi), Band XI can call upon the breadth and depth of those communities for validation and assistance in bringing the Mobile Embedded Component Suite to fruition.

About the SBIR/STTR Program

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) programs allow small, high-tech U.S. businesses (less than 500 employees) and academia the opportunity to provide innovative research and development solutions in response to critical Army needs. By capturing the tremendous and agile talents of the U.S. small business community, the SBIR and STTR Programs benefit the Department of Defense (DoD), the private sector, and our national economy.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a Congressionally-mandated program which was established in 1982 (with subsequent reauthorizations in 1986, 1992, and 2000 until 2008) to increase the participation of small businesses in federal research and development (R&D). The goal of the dual-use SBIR program is to tap into the innovativeness and creativity of the small business community to help meet government R&D objectives. At the same time, these small companies develop technologies, products, and services which they can then commercialize through sales in the private sector or back to the government.

About Band XI International

Band XI is a small, agile, boutique problem-solving software and systems shop that specializes in using open-source and open standards-based software tools and frameworks to solve real-world problems. Band XI offers their customers years of experience crafting OSGi architected Java™ application, framework, component and tooling solutions. Band XI personnel have two decades of successful agile management and technical experience in a variety of domains, spanning mobile and embedded applications, database backed websites, and enterprise level applications.

Band XI International is a corporate member of the Agile Alliance and its staff are also members of the Agile Project Leadership Network (APLN), and the Scrum Alliance. Band XI is engaged in delivering mentoring and systems delivery projects for both commercial and government customers, including the US Army.

With headquarters in West Hartford, CT and offices in Scottsdale, AZ and Bracey, VA, Band XI International supports both open source values and corporate customers' needs in a profitable, sustainable business. For more information about Band XI, please visit www.bandxi.com.

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Band XI is a registered trademark of Band XI International, LLC in the USA and other countries. Other products mentioned may be trademarks of their respective companies.