Visible Assets Response to Solicitation: RFI-NEST

Nuclear Enterprise Surety Tracking (NEST)

Visible Assets Response to Solicitation: RFI-NEST

Agency: Department of the Air Force

Requestor: Air Force Materials Command

In support of: Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)

Submitted to:

Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) / Contracting Division (PKE)

Attn: Francine Chavez

8150 "F" Ave., Bldg 20226, Rm. 9

Kirtland AFB, NM 87117

(O) 505.853.2483

Submitted on 26 October 2010 by:

Visible Assets, Inc

195 Bunker Hill Road

Stratham, New Hampshire, USA, 03885

Duns: 183880090

Cage: 4PUU2

1Executive Summary

2Visible Corporate Overview

3The RuBee Technology

3.1Overview

3.2RuBee Security

3.3RuBee Human Safety

3.4RuBee Intrinsic Safety

3.5RuBee Example Tags

3.6RuBee Readers and Appliances

3.7The Dot-Tag Visibility Engine and 20/20 Application Builder

4RuBee AFNWC System Proposal

5Current Visible/RuBee Government Customer Contract Deployments

6Conclusion

7Contacts:

US Air Force Nuclear Enterprise Surety Tracking (NEST)

Solicitation: RFI-NEST

1Executive Summary

This is a response from Visible Assets, Inc. (Visible®) tothe Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) Request for Information (RFI-NEST). This RFI response identifies and describes Visible’s:

1. RuBee™ - world wide mission critical wireless asset visibility technology (see
2. RuBee Data and Sensors – Real-time mission critical asset pedigree (expiry date, temperature, shock and humidity history)
3. RuBee – Dot-Tag™ – 20/20™ integrated network services integrated into existing systems utilizing Oracle embedded database products;
4. Bio-metrically high security, handheld, portable, computing device, as well as on-site real-time asset visibility (on shelves in warehouses, or on aircraft) (see

We believe RuBeeintegrated asset visibility networks will enable AFNWC to achieve, high security, real-time, visibility of key mission critical nuclear components, bombs, and warheads across the Air Force nuclear enterprise system. We also believe with our experience and partnership with Oracle (see and other existing systems contractors (e.g. CSC) we will be able to provide full world wide connectivity to the Air Force Global Information Grid (AF-GIG), Reliability and Maintainability Information System (REMIS), Integrated Maintenance Data System (IMDS), Standard Base Supply System (SBSS), Combat Ammunition System (CAS), and Defense Integration and Management of Nuclear Data Services (DIAMONDS).

Visible is prepared to provide the US Air Force and AFNWC with a technology demonstration that will exhibit our mission critical asset visibility and mobile computing capabilities with asset pedigree information in secure and harsh environments. Ournetwork technology is Oracle based and is compatible with current US Federal and DoD systems used in the nuclear surety mission. We are currently deployed throughout manyDepartment of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) site locations and have received or havethe capability of receiving the appropriate clearances and certifications required for use in support of the Air Force nuclear surety mission. We have three individuals who have active or have had top secret clearance within last five years

Visible’s ‘Asset Visibility’ platform is in use, robust and scalable, and can support:

1. The full Nuclear Surety tasking list integration;
2. The unique identification of tracked components;
3. Local command and control and support operations in connected and disconnected state;
4. The synchronization of data to ensure Nuclear Surety personnel has immediate access to the latest command directives.

Visible will provide a fully customized biometric identification hand held system that is compliant with Air Force requirements for connection to the Air Force Global Intelligence Grid (AF-GIG). We have the current capability of coupling biometric identification with a layered log-in protocol using a secure wireless ID card to verify the user and user’s credentials prior to access/assignment of task. We also support the use of appropriate leading edge security and anti-tamper measures (see

2Visible Corporate Overview

Visible Assets, Inc., is a 32 employee, private US company founded in 2002, based in Stratham, New Hampshire. Visible sells asset visibility networks for mission critical assets, based on a new wireless technology known as RuBee. RuBee provides competitively priced, long-life, low power, wireless, active asset and human ID tags that work in harsh environments. These asset visibility networks use Oracle based Dot-Tag systems and visibility engines that “virtualize” any RuBee enabled asset network of tags into a real-time visibility database and web enabled visibility application. 20/20 quickly creates any visibility application on top of the Dot-Tag/RuBee network. 20/20 and Dot-Tag are both Oracle embedded database products. Visible and Oracle sell 20/20, Dot-Tag RuBee visibility networks through industry-focused partners, for high security government, high security commercial, weapons, and ordnance. RuBee is protected by 21 issued US and foreign patents and approximately 80 additional pending and foreign patents owned by Visible ( Visible received the 2007 Frost and Sullivan Technology Innovation of the Year award. RuBee Visibility Networks are working and have been installed in some of the most secure sites in the world for over three years.

3The RuBee Technology

3.1Overview

RuBee is a unique, new disruptive wireless technology that delivers real-time asset visibility at highly competitive prices (see: RuBee (IEEE 1902.1) does not use Radio Frequency (RF) and is based on long-wavelength magnetic, inductive, active signals. The typical RuBee tag has a 10-15 year battery life, with a field proven life of over 25 years using small coin size Li batteries. RuBee tags have a range of 1 to 50 feet with data storage capability and many optional sensors, CPU, static memory and real-time clock. RuBee tags overcome many of the technological problems seen with RF systems near steel and water, and are field proven in harsh environments. Most critically, because RuBee is magnetic it has no eavesdropping, tempest or target risks seen with RF-based systems.

RuBee is an IEEE issued standard (IEEE 1902.1), with a 19 member corporate members in the workgroup (Epson, Motorola, Microsoft, GE, GM, LG Electronics, Bearing Point, RFTechnologies and many smaller companies). IEEE 1902.1 unlike LF, HF, or UHF RFID, is an active, on-demand packet based protocol, similar to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ZigBee. RuBee uses low frequencies (131Kz), and has a long wavelength (LW) of 7,511 feet, (2,289 meters or about 1.25 miles). All active and passive RFID tags are transponders; they reflect radio signals for data communication, and use the same signal for timing and power. In contrast, RuBee works as a transceiver, similar to a two way “walkie-talkie” but uses magnetic waves not radio waves

3.2RuBee Security

RuBee is the only wireless technology to be approved by the US Department of Energy (DoE) for use in high security areas where RF systems have all been banned. Since RuBee uses magnetic data communication to eliminate the risks associated with other wireless technologies. RuBee addresses Security officers’ three major physical layer risks and concerns with any wireless system:

1. Tempest Threat – RuBee is proven as a USA NSTISSAM Tempest Level 1 device. This is the strictest standard for devices that will be operated in high security environments. It is assumed at this standard that an attacker will need almost immediate access and will need to have the ability to place a listening device or other data collection device into a wireless transmitter to send data to a remote data collection site.

1. Eavesdropping Threat – RuBee provides the highest level of eavesdropping security because we do not require a lot E or H power. This greatly inhibits the ability for an attacker to listen to and monitor data and packets that might enable them to obtain classified or secure information about mission critical assets and asset status.

1. Target Threat – RuBee has no target threat capability. Because of its low power emulations andZero Field Detection (ZFD) software programming the ability for an attacker to use a signal emanating from a RuBeetag as a reference or target is eliminated.

Tags may also be protected by packet encryption. Two way AES is the preferred standard encryption in RuBee tags, when encryption is required. Additional options include AES keys that are altered by a clock, so a new key is generated daily or weekly. RSA public private key authentication is also an option in the RISC version of a tag. RSA can be slow and is not recommended for real time detection through doors or gates. To be clear, we do not rely on encryption for our systems security, rather we optimize the flow and we optimize the Physical Layer below, and include encryption when necessary.

3.3RuBee Human Safety

In July 2006, the FDA classified 1902.1 as a Non-Significant Risk (NSR) Class 1 device in medical visibility applications. In May 2007, a peer-reviewed study was published by the Mayo Clinic showing that RuBee has no effect on pacemakers or ICDs. A second Mayo study has shown RuBee has no EMI or EMC in the operating room. RuBee has no known human safety risks.

3.4RuBee Intrinsic Safety

The company has tags in use in many explosive areas and has carried out extensive internal testing in collaboration with and for the Department of Energy for us in nuclear facilities. It has also started independent laboratory tests and expects its RuBee tags to meet the ANSI 913-88 ATEX standard in Zone 0 or Zone I, Intrinsically Safe environment, and has recently contracted NAVSEA to initiate full HERO explosive atmosphere testing. Because RuBee is such a low energy magnetic technology, in most cases RuBee is many thousands of times below existing published human safety and intrinsically safety standards.

3.5RuBee Example Tags

A standard RuBee tag can have a form factor of .5” X 1” up to credit card size with a 2 mm thickness. The antenna produce about 600 mGauss and the tag produces about 50 mGauss. To put that in perspective, the Earth’s magnetic field is about 500 to 700 mGauss. Magnetic fields from Earth or a permanent magnet do not have any effect on RuBee because they do not vary in time. When a magnetic field does vary in time (possible noise source), it usually has only short range effects on RuBee since signal strength drops off fast. Typical RuBee noise sources are LCD projectors, plasma panel displays, switching power supplies, large transformers and lighting storms. However, RuBee demos and RuBee systems work in the same room with all of these noise sources, because the signal drops off so quickly.

RuBee tags are often built into a mission critical asset and may have sensors that provide detailed status and asset pedigree. For example the figure shown above is a standard DoD M4 A1 with a sensor for shot counting. The sensor produces a waveform that makes it possible to count number of rounds fired, and also does statistics on how the rounds were fired. As a result we are able to calculate barrel temperature, and other diagnostics that may be used as an indicator of the weapon’s health. Visible was recently awarded a $5 Million DoD contract to provide these functions for USSOCOM SCAR-Hand M4s (see )

3.6RuBee Readers and Appliances

Visible offers a variety of fixed and mobile readers or what we call RuBee Appliances (see ).

RuBee Smart racks are fixed fully networked appliances that provide real-time physical inventory of items stored on fixed based shelves. Visible has many Smart Racks installed and working for small arms within the DoE.

RuBeegRap Issuance stations have RuBee readers, a CAC card reader, and a 1D barcode reader. These may be used for mission critical asset check in/out from a smart Rack. They provide full data logging and integration into Dot-Tag systems (see below).

Visible has developed a general purpose RuBee Portal Platform (RP2) that can detect user IDs and assets as they enter and exit a facility. These systems may be configured for doors (DoorGuard™ ) or vehicles as they pass through a gate (GateGuard™). Hundreds of these systems are in use throughout the world and they consistently provide high security detection of any asset on exit or entry. We consistently detect any RuBee tags even if wrapped in Aluminum foil or concealed in a steel case. Visible has passed an independent customer acceptance tests with the ability to read five RuBee IDs and legal / illegal assets 100% of the time in a vehicle moving 7 Km/hr, (4.35 m/ph). This included all assets even if hidden in the engine block. (see: )

3.7The Dot-Tag Visibility Engine and 20/20 Application Builder

The Dot-Tag visibility engine is the middleware that takes networks of local RuBee wireless networks to provide real-time virtualized database of mission critical assets. It in effect turns every asset into a tiny website, and creates a real-time “Internet of Things”. Dot-Tag provides enhanced asset integrity, accurate real-time product pedigree, physical inventory, active inventory management, provides DOD 5015.2 audit logs and Sarbanes Oxley audit logs. A typical Dot-Tag network includes RuBee wireless tags with optional sensors, RuBee antennas and appliances, RuBee routers, a centralized visibility engine (Dot-Tag server), database tools, VPN, TCP/IP drivers, protocol tools, network diagnostic tools, network and audit management tools.

20/20 uses Oracle Weblogic as a foundation and is an industry Application Builder that provides an integrated web based real-time start-up visibility network for a new application or industry in a matter of weeks. We have installed Armory 20/20 and Dot Tag in several sites as Oracle embedded products, owned and designed by Visible, but also sold and supported by Oracle internationally. Applications become simple event driven, database enabled web applications that can be easily viewed and controlled by any browser on any system, easily modified and maintained, and can export events via XML or HTML5 or JSON to other third party systems.

4RuBeeAFNWC System Proposal

Visible proposes to design and integrate customized RuBee Smart Weapons Tags for key nuclear assets, components, bombs and warheads currently use in support of the Air Force nuclear surety mission. Each RuBee tag will be associated to its key component via Read/Write data stored in the tag. Each tag has an IP address similar to a laptop, a subnet address linked to asset class, a fixed MAC address tied to the tag, and critical data tied to the weapon. The weapon data can include serial number or US Air Force specific number, manufacture date, and the manufacturer, etc. These data fields may be defined and changed by the administrative end user in the 20/20 system.

All data once stored and defined in the tag will be automatically read and written when the weapon is placed into storage or brought up to operational readiness. Physical Inventory reads will be fully automated, and controlled by Dot-Tag and the 20/20 application. Data may be read and written as well via tag programming features in 20/20. Data may also be read and written via the pRap, Visible's RuBee-enabled handheld. We will add a finger print reader to the base of the pRap to enhance security. Each storage area will have optional issuance stations with a specific RuBee Router with Dual Display, (one for issuer and one so the recipient can verify the serialized key component being issued). CAC, Alpha-numeric Keypad, magnetic-swipe, and/or biometric data entry devices can be integrated into each issue station for Individual or Two-Person-Control Audit capabilities. RuBee’s network application is an integrated, semi-custom networked visibility package designed for weapons storage areas and armories. It can be configured to be simple, low cost local application that provides most critical single armory functions. It can also be configured to manage many 10's to 100's of sites with 100,000's of managed key nuclear components, bombs, and warheads across the Air Force nuclear enterprise systemusing secure and robust industry standard Oracle systems.

5Current Visible/RuBee Government Customer Contract Deployments

US Department of Energy (DoE) – National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Sites:

1. Kansas City Site Office (KSO) and Kansas City Plant (KCP)
2. Nevada Site Office (NSO) and Nevada Test Site (NTS)
3. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
4. Los Alamos Site Office (LASO) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
5. Pantex
6. Sandia Site Office (SSO) and Sandia National Laboratory (SNL)
7. Savannah River Site (SRS)
8. Y12 Site Office (YSO)

US Department of Defense – Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) – Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

US Department of Agriculture

6Conclusion

Security and Visibility together at the same site is never simple. However, Visible has reviewed here the technology we apply in the design of any visibility network at a high security site. We have provided reference data URLs for further research. We have shown that taken together, it is possible to have both the Asset Visibility and Date Security so that site and asset security is enhanced to the maximum levels. For further information Visible has created a US Air Force - AFNWC special information-only web site for backup material as well as support material associated with the RFI:

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7Contacts:

Shawn P. Walther

Director of Business Development – Government Sector