– Former Skyline Software Systems and Esri Executive, Jim Michel, appointed as Director of Business Development for Public Safety and Security
TEL AVIV, Israel and WASHINGTON– XTEND – the developer of XOS, a human-guided semi-autonomous operating system that is revolutionizing “human to machine” interaction – has appointed remote sensing and autonomous machine operations expert, Jim Michel, as its new Director of Business Development for Public Safety and Security. Michel will lead development of XTEND’s civilian business in the US – driving future applications of XTEND’s technology, and its scalable and infinitely flexible XOS operating system, in public safety, security, inspection, and other civilian markets.
“After three years of live operations, XTEND is ready to expand into new markets to ensure Remote Interactive Operations are accessible to everyone,” said Aviv Shapira, co-founder, and CEO at XTEND. “Our aim is to make XOS the operating system of choice in a range of scenarios. Allowing professionals to control remote-powered drones and smart machines and carry out complex tasks that require human interaction and decision-making remotely. Our aim is to begin revolutionizing operations in law enforcement, commercial security, inspection, manufacturing, travel, and entertainment very soon.”
XTEND’s Operating System (XOS) enables anyone to easily connect and interact within remote environments using drones and other smart machines, without the need for prior knowledge or training. Allowing operators to move, see, interact, and run 3rd party applications on remote machines precisely, intuitively, and immersively – using a blend of augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics and AI. XOS is perfectly suited to operating devices in civilian scenarios, providing a new way for humans to interact with machines virtually. Meaning a range of complex tasks that require human to machine interaction can be carried out at a safe distance by first responders, inspectors, and security professionals, who are experts in their field, rather than expert pilots or drivers of the machine they are using.
Shapira adds: “Jim brings over 20 years’ experience to XTEND, and his career and experience in remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and technology expansion in the government and utility ecosystems are second to none. Jim’s background and passion will be instrumental in helping XTEND grow and pursue our business ambitions in public safety, security, inspection, and other civilian markets.”
Michel has held leadership roles in the remote sensing and GIS industry for 20 years. Most recently leading Skyline Software Systems’ 3D business. He has a degree in Imaging Science and Remote Sensing from the Rochester Institute of Technology and started his career at Eastman Kodak, designing space and aerial imaging systems, along with image processing and manipulation. He then spent a decade with ESRI integrating remote sensing into the ESRI GIS software platform in both government and civilian communities. He has become a thought leader in imaging technology expansion, by combining different imaging systems, LiDAR, and GIS to solve intelligence, safety, local government, disaster relief and environmental issues.
Michel explains: “I’m delighted to join XTEND’s world-class team. To date my career has been in remote sensing design and interpretation, but I have always been passionate about the technology that enables those disciplines, while making them safer. XTEND and XOS deliver state-of-the-art, robust, and scalable solutions that allow our customers to fully unlock the potential of state of the art, Remote Interactive Operations.”
Alongside expanding application of its easily programmable and configurable XOS operating systems into civilian markets, the XTEND team have recently been awarded several multi-million $ contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and MAFAT, the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Research & Development Directorate, to modernize their use of drone technology. In both cases, XOS is already enabling military drone operators to interactively operate multiple smart machines from a remote, safe distance, with zero training.
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About XTEND and XOS:
XTEND provides revolutionary human-guided autonomous machine systems that enable any operator to perform extremely accurate maneuvers and actions, in any environment with minimal training. The company’s patented XOS operating system fuses the best of human intelligence and machine autonomy to enhance the operator’s abilities, and simultaneously reduce the need for physical confrontation, thereby minimizing casualties and injuries. Hundreds of XTEND’s systems are already operationally deployed worldwide, and the company is continuously developing its XOS operating system and platforms to deliver the future of human-machine teaming to defense, HLS, and security professionals worldwide. Find out more here.
