New configuration of NeuroSight™ to deliver real-time visual augmentation and enhanced situational awareness for SOF missions in degraded environments
PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, March 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Merge Plot announced today that it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to develop a Visual Augmentation System (VAS) in support of Program Executive Officer (PEO) Special Operations Forces (SOF) Warrior. The Phase I program will leverage Merge Plot’s commercially-available NeuroSight™ platform, an event-based visual sensing system optimized for low size, weight and power (SWaP) applications. The VAS will provide users enhanced perception, awareness and decision support while operating in complex and austere conditions.
NeuroSight is a ruggedized, low-power, event-driven imaging system based on Merge Plot’s EdgeVision™ AI Board. By processing visual changes asynchronously rather than capturing full image frames, the system enables microsecond-level latency, extreme dynamic range, and seamless integration with onboard AI/ML processors for real-time imaging, detection and tracking. The VAS configuration of NeuroSight to be developed in this SBIR program aims to provide real-time visual enhancement and contextual cues to improve operator perception, situational awareness and decision-making in low-light and degraded visual environments.
“NeuroSight is over a thousand times faster, yet smaller, lighter and far more power-efficient than currently available solutions,” said Alwyn Smith, Principal Investigator on the program, and Merge Plot’s Chief Engineer. “This USSOCOM award accelerates the fielding of NeuroSight as a next-generation VAS, providing a lower-SWaP solution to aid our Warfighters.”
The six-month SBIR Phase I project will focus on establishing system feasibility, evaluating performance relative to conventional frame-based cameras in representative scenarios. Results from the Phase I effort will inform a potential Phase II prototype program and support broader PEO SOF Warrior objectives.
About Merge Plot
Merge Plot is a Veteran-Owned Small Business specializing in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced hardware and software solutions for the defense and commercial sectors. Our expertise lies in the integration of cutting-edge technologies, including advanced optics, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics to bridge the physical and digital worlds. Recent and ongoing projects include developing AI-driven digital twin maintenance software, event-based camera sensor systems, industrial robots, head-mounted night vision and GenAI decision-support platforms.
David Cushman
Merge Plot LLC
dcushman@mergeplot.com
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