Uninterrupted communication is essential for many aspects of transport operations: from tracking commercial vehicles on motorways, to keeping in touch with rail maintenance crews. 

But all too often, a preferred source of audio or visual communication or data exchange can drop out when connections are poor due to patchy coverage in remote locations. 

Now a London based company called UniVirtua – supported by Connected Places Catapult – has developed a platform that detects the presence of and bonds together multiple communications channels, to ensure connections remain solid at all times. 

Known as dashAlpha, the platform combines both terrestrial and satellite systems including 5G, MANET radios, Wi-Fi and Free Space Optics, plus Geostationary and Low Earth Orbit Satellites and provides access through their d500R rugged, portable device. 

This autumn, the company was awarded a £500,000 contract with the European Space Agency to build a communications terminal incorporating dashAlpha software, to be mounted on a vehicle trailer. The project is designed to provide reliable connectivity in rural and isolated locations for emergency services, farmers and event hospitality. 

The agreement forms part of the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems programme, arranged by the European Space Agency in association with the Government and the UK Space Agency. 

Two years ago, the tech was also validated by the British Army at an event called the ‘Army Warfighting Experiment: Urban Integrate’ and proved its capability to improve communications for urban warfare in locations with poor signal. 

Joseph Poole, the Chief Executive of UniVirtua says dashAlpha is designed to “eliminate a single point of failure in areas where communications are essential”. He adds that the system features machine learning to predict which channels will be most reliable to connect to, in order to provide secure and resilient connections. 

Taking the tech from road to sea

Maintaining resilient communications is crucial in many surface transport use cases; such as for haulage firms, to help them direct lorries away from delays and ensure they can continue to monitor the temperature of refrigerated goods on board. 

The system can also help emergency service control rooms to continuously monitor live camera feeds from ambulances and fire engines in areas with poor connectivity. 

Now the company is targeting the maritime sector, with the support of Connected Places Catapult, to reliably maintain communications with ships all around the world, and ensure on board systems run smoothly and ports know when ships will arrive. 

The firm took part in the Transport Accelerator Maritime to accelerate its dashAlpha product, and received bespoke business support and investment advice. 

“The accelerator programme helped to spread the word about our product, and is enabling us to bid for larger value contracts with a consortium of public and private organisations. We would not have been able to pull together such a consortium without our participation in the Transport Accelerator.” 

John Smith, Sales Director, UniVirtua

Maritime uses for dashAlpha include maintaining communications with fishing vessels at sea, to monitor their whereabouts. This would allow port operators to know with greater certainty when to expect a trawler. Local restaurants and pubs waiting for supplies might also have a clearer idea when a boat will arrive with a fresh catch.    

“One of the other areas we're looking at now is supplying systems for uncrewed autonomous maintenance vessels at sea,” John adds. “If there is no person on board and the communications go down, there is no back-up, so without our solution a vessel would have to stop.”  

Growing the firm and raising funds

Recent years have seen a focus on research and development in order to improve the product, and the company is aiming to increase its Technology Readiness Level of 7 (technology demonstrated in an operational environment) to a 9 (deployment) within a year and a half. 

“We have a private investor from the Netherlands, and are preparing to raise further funding within the next six to 12 months,” says Joseph. 

Joseph Poole, Chief Executive, UniVirtua

“I would highly recommend companies like ours join one of the Catapult’s programmes,” he adds. “They have a lot of expertise, and are able to advise and guide in a very positive way. 

“We have now established that there is definitely a place for us in the maritime market. Prior to working with the Catapult, we wouldn't have had the market knowledge to be able to validate there is a requirement for our technology in that sector.”  

Read more about the Clean Transport Accelerator: Maritime