GE's MAGIC1 Rugged Display Computer Chosen by Agusta Westland to Enable Safer Search and Rescue Helicopter Missions


Processes, displays sensor data to enable collision avoidance

Proven, compact, rugged solution

Uses GPGPU technology for highest performance



HUNTSVILLE, AL. – GE Intelligent Platforms (NYSE: GE) today announced that it had received orders from Agusta Westland of Italy for GE's MAGIC1 Rugged Display Computer. The MAGIC1 will be part of Agusta Westland's OPLS (Obstacle Proximity LIDAR system) which the company will offer on helicopters destined for search and rescue (SAR) deployment.



Helicopters operating in SAR operations are often required to fly near obstacles - trees, buildings and so on - in daylight or darkness and in adverse conditions. Agusta Westland wanted to provide the pilot with a sophisticated collision avoidance system that would aid the pilot by indicating the distance of the helicopter from these obstacles.



The OPLS is based on a set of laser sensors, the data from which are collected by GE's MAGIC1 and displayed in the cockpit. OPLS, including the MAGIC1, was first installed in Agusta Westland's



AW139 helicopter, and the company plans to adapt the kit in order to be able to offer it on other helicopters used in SAR applications.



"The MAGIC1 offered Agusta Westland a number of compelling benefits," said Simon Collins, Product Manager, GE Intelligent Platforms. "It is a proven, pre-configured solution that can be easily integrated onboard a helicopter with minimal integration effort and cost. The MAGIC1's high performance enables it to allow pilots to make timely, accurate flight path decisions, while its compactness and low weight mean that it has minimal impact on the helicopter's operating characteristics. It is also rugged, which means that it can withstand the rigors and harsh environment that are typical of search and rescue deployments."



The 3U VPX MAGIC1 Rugged Display Computer combines Intel® Core™ i7 CPU technology with NVIDIA®'s EXK107 GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) to deliver unprecedented levels of performance for rugged applications. When deployed as a Display Computer, the MAGIC1 supports the industry's most demanding video and image applications, taking advantage of the significant processing power available from GPGPU (General Purpose computing on Graphics Processing Units) computing.



About GE Intelligent Platforms

GE Intelligent Platforms is a General Electric company, headquartered in Charlottesville, VA and part of GE Energy Management. The company's work in the military/aerospace segment, headquartered in Huntsville, AL, and Towcester, England, provides one of the industry's broadest ranges of high performance, rugged, SWaP-optimized embedded computing platforms. Backed by programs that provide responsive customer support and minimize long term cost of ownership for multi-year programs, GE's solutions are designed to help customers minimize program risk and cost, and to speed time-to-market. For more information, visit defense.ge-ip.com.



For more information: http://defense.ge-ip.com/products/magic1/p2077



For more technical information: http://defense.ge-ip.com/download/magic1-updated-may-2013/13513/2077/



Intel is a registered trademark, and Core is a trademark, of Intel Corporation. NVIDIA is a registered trademark of NVIDIA Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.



Media contacts:

Ian McMurray

GE Intelligent Platforms

Phone: +44 (0) 1327 322821

Email: ian.mcmurray@ge.com




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