Riverside Research and Plexus Corp. are partnering on a collaborative rapid prototyping approach to address security concerns and reduce time-to-market for the intelligence and defense sectors.
WASHINGTON—In May, Riverside Research reported it entered a strategic partnership with Plexus Corp. to rapidly develop designs for reusable, modular-based hardware and software for the intelligence and defense markets.
According to a release from Riverside Research, its strategic partnership with Plexus represents “faster-to-market, more advanced capabilities for ultra-secure connected devices and other relevant, secure technologies.”
The partnership aims to deliver technology that uses a collaborative rapid prototyping approach to create adaptable, ultra-secure, connected devices. This is considered critical to addressing security concerns and decreasing time-to-market, as technologies used by adversaries adapt swiftly to challenge our nation’s security architecture.
In their first joint effort, Riverside Research and Plexus developed the Aegis R52L Enhanced Retransmission Device, designed to secure end-user devices. Together, they moved from the initial concept to identifying requirements, developing prototypes, and planning for full-scale manufacturing in under nine months. This pace is reported to set a new standard for bringing these commercially viable technologies to market.
Plexus Corp. partners with customers to design, manufacture, and service highly complex products in demanding regulatory environments. These products range from life-saving medical devices and mission-critical aerospace and defense products to industrial automation systems and semiconductor capital equipment, according to the release.
“Our innovative solutions across the lifecycle of a product converge where advanced technology and human impact intersect,” the company said in the release. “We provide these solutions to market-leading as well as disruptive global companies in the aerospace/defense, healthcare/life sciences, and industrial sectors, supported by a global team of over 20,000 members across our 27 facilities.”
Riverside Research is a national security nonprofit that serves the DoD and intelligence community. Through its Open Innovation Center (OIC), Riverside invests in multidisciplinary research and development and encourages collaboration.
Areas of expertise for Riverside Research are reported to include object and activity detection; accelerated AI/ML; zero trust; open architectures; computational electromagnetics; plasma physics; precision timing; terahertz imaging; commercial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); collection planning; and more.
“Partnering with Riverside Research aligns with our vision to help create the products that build a better world by enabling the rapid deployment of secure, cutting-edge technologies that protect freedom, people, and the dedicated soldiers who serve our nation,” said Plexus Market Sector Vice President of Aerospace/Defense, Jim Stokes, in the release. “We are committed to accelerating their time-to-market through our integrated engineering and manufacturing solutions.”
“Too often, industry has been forced to navigate the complex ecosystem of defense contracts to fulfill the entirety of the product development process,” said Riverside Research Vice President of Business Development, Carl Nerup, in the release. “With Riverside Research and Plexus aligned, the marketplace now has an innovation engine. Together, we’re combining our companies’ world-class problem-solving abilities to guide customers smoothly from concept to product.”