Anchor is a simple and affordable universal transparent encryption solution. It ensures your data is unable to leave your business without your consent. Anchor encrypts and restricts access to that data based on boundaries or business rules you create.
The boundaries can be physical, such as requiring a user to be within a specific location physically and/or virtual, such as being a part of a group within the organization, etc. The encryption runs in the background unbeknownst to your employees. Data access can be cut off instantaneously and relegate existing data files unreadable regardless of the current location of the data.
Falling Saber: a GPS-enabled, communication beacon delivering real-time positioning data from aerial deployment to ground recovery. Small, Lightweight, Rugged, Reusable.
DataAnchor partnered with augustwenty to solve a unique and challenging problem within the military space, codename: Falling Saber. Its goal was to allow its operators to 'out-think the enemy' with cutting-edge equipment and technology—all while requiring the remote transmission of encrypted sensor data across distances greater than a mile.
modernizing the military
Augustwenty’s approach to solving DataAnchor’s problem was founded on the principles of integrity, excellence, dignity, and quality. We spent a considerable amount of time building a relationship with DataAnchor’s team in order to understand their organization from the ground up. Our decades of experience allowed us to organize quickly around DataAnchor’s problem and build a solution with speed and precision.
Spending this time provided us the ability to understand the intricate needs of the Falling Saber project… how the operator (in this case, our military heroes) would use the product to create a safer and more efficient military operation. We also spent considerable time with DataAnchor’s engineers and business associates to understand how they work and how we could integrate with them in order to provide a technical solution they could support after the project was complete.
We are not just order takers. We listened. But we also think outside the box, and pushed DataAnchor to think differently. Through contextual inquiry and immersion in the unique context of the Falling Saber problem space, we could see to the heart of their challenge and built solutions with speed and precision. Whether we are designing, writing software, or building hardware we’re always working in an incremental cadence, constantly asking questions. This enabled us to remain focused on DataAnchor’s needs.
collaborating with open source technologies
In order to accomplish this challenge in a timely manner, augustwenty chose to use as many open source options as possible. The code running on the hardware was written using Python3 and all tests/code were stored within Github. The hardware platform consisted of a Raspberry PI 4 Model B, which includes wifi… allowing us to easily accomplish our first iteration of the product. The hardware sensors (9-DOF accelerometer/magnetometer/gyroscope, temperature sensor, and GPS geolocation sensor) we purchased over the counter from Adafruit/Microcenter.
The final iteration of the product, which included the LoRa transmitter and receiver, was also purchased from AdaFruit/Microcenter. All of the libraries required to communicate with the onboard sensors were open source.
innovative solution
Working alongside DataAnchor engineers, the augustwenty team built and deployed several iterations of the product. A wifi version of the hardware was initially created in order to prove the concept. The wifi solution still remains a viable solution when connectivity is available and the long-range requirement is not in play. The initial unit contained sensors providing a 9-DOF accelerometer/magnetometer/gyroscope, temperature sensor, and GPS geolocation sensor.
The initial design included a base-unit responsible for collecting data from each of the field units and transmitting to a central repository. The remote field units, responsible for communicating with the onboard sensors have the capability to cache data on-board in the event of loss of connectivity. When connectivity is re-established, each of the field units automatically resume transmission to the base unit. The final design included the introduction of the LoRa communication protocol.
The LoRa network utilizes a low-frequency, sub-gigahertz radio frequency band allowing for long-distance communication with minimal power requirements, an optimal solution for small, remote field units.
The Anchor SDK encrypts the data at the moment of collection, using a contextually transparent encryption algorithm ensuring the data received from the onboard sensors remains safe. The collected data remains encrypted for its entire lifecycle, eliminating the possibility of data theft and providing the military complete control of who, when, and why someone or something could view/consume the data. DataAnchor’s platform enables a new generation of connected hardware that significantly improves the operational effectiveness of deployed operators and assets.
planning for future possibilities
The future of Falling Saber is exciting and currently open to exploration. The platform for collecting data is not in any way limited by the sensors listed above, but is limited to the imagination of the world. The platform is also not limited to military applications, but to any industry with a need to collect remote data and transmit to a central location across vast distances. The LoRa network provides the ability to expand the transmission range by the introduction of ‘gateways’ allowing for the creation of a remote mesh network. Each gateway allows for the passing of retrieved data to the next gateway and/or base unit. The introduction of multiple gateways can provide a coverage distance as wide as required.
We are very excited to see what this product becomes and the varied ideas DataAnchor and its many customers will dream up!