Special Recognition | 2024
PSCR Innovation In Technology Award
Engineering Dynamics received the inaugural PSCR Innovation In Technology Award from NIST's Public Safety Communications Research Division, awarded at the 2024 annual stakeholder conference. As the first time this award was conferred, and potentially the only year it will be given, this recognition reflects Engineering Dynamics' sustained contribution to advancing public safety communications technology through novel approaches, demonstrated across multiple NIST PSCR prize challenges spanning nearly a decade.
Inaugural Award · NIST PSCR · 2024
Why we compete.
Federal prize challenges are rigorous, independently judged, and open to all comers. These challenges designed to reward whoever solves the problem. There are no preferred vendors. Results speak for themselves.
The hardest problems are ill-defined, rapidly changing, with no clear rules and feedback that is delayed or misleading. In those environments, just as in real world problems, narrow expertise tends to collapse under the weight of reality.
What wins is the ability to pull from disparate domains, recognize structural similarities across fields that look nothing alike, and synthesize a solution no single discipline would have reached on its own.
Our results are the direct result of building teams that can handle every challenge. This approach is why our solutions work in the field, not just the lab.
Challenge Sponsoring Agencies
- NIST PSCR
- DARPA
- US Army
- HHS / OIG
- U.S. Census Bureau
- DC Gov
- CDC
- NIH
- US Navy
- OPM
- USDS
Notable Challenges | 2017 – Present
2025
NIST PSCR
First Responder UAS 6.0 Wireless Data Gatherer Challenge
A three-stage drone systems challenge seeking UAS solutions capable of gathering wireless sensor data in outdoor environments without fixed communications infrastructure or satellite links, conditions common in disaster response and remote operations. Engineering Dynamics fielded an advanced drone paired with an AI-driven mission control system delivering extended RF range, autonomous waypoint generation, and optical target detection. The system was tested across temperature extremes from 8°F to 82°F, validating real-world reliability. The team earned 2nd place overall along with multiple Best-in-Class awards for Endurance, Most Affordable, Most Portable, and First Responders' Choice.
U.S. Census Bureau / StatVentures [Ongoing]
Address Geolocation in Remote and Rural Areas Challenge
Phase 2 winner in the Census Bureau's StatVentures program, a rigorous open innovation initiative that scouts and integrates new technologies to improve federal data collection. The challenge targeted one of the Census Bureau's most persistent data quality problems: the inability to accurately geolocate residential addresses in rural and remote areas. Engineering Dynamics was one of only four Phase 2 winners, alongside SAIC and Deloitte. Winners received monetary prizes and the opportunity to compete in Phase 3.
2024
DARPA
DARPA Triage Challenge: Phase 1 Virtual Track
Competing in DARPA's multi-year prize challenge to revolutionize medical triage in mass casualty incidents, Engineering Dynamics entered the Phase 1 Virtual Track: a simulation environment where teams use stand-off sensors and algorithms to autonomously locate and assess casualties. The team earned the "Virtually Impossible" special award for their performance in the virtual track, as well as a 3rd Place finish, demonstrating capability in autonomous casualty assessment under simulated field conditions before the physical systems competition phase.
US Digital Services (USDS)
DITAP Case Study Challenge
The Digital IT Acquisition Professional (DITAP) program advances modern digital acquisition practices across the federal government. Engineering Dynamics competed in a case study challenge testing applied knowledge of digital service acquisition strategy, earning 2nd place against a field of federal acquisition professionals and technologists.
NIH
PREPARE Challenge: Data for Early Prediction
Applied predictive modeling and data science approaches to an early-prediction challenge, leveraging complex datasets to identify leading indicators before outcomes materialize. The challenge reflects the growing federal demand for AI-driven anticipatory analytics in high-stakes domains.
2023
NIST PSCR & FirstNet Authority
CommanDING Tech Challenge
A four-phase competition to build next-generation incident command dashboards for first responders, integrating 3D laser scans, indoor location tracking, video analytics, and IoT sensor data. The final phase was held live at the University of Memphis, where contestants demonstrated their dashboards during a simulated public safety emergency in a multi-story building. Engineering Dynamics' submission of an incident command dashboard featuring a tactical map, multi-feed video integration, and clean personnel/hazard visualization earned 4th place overall, competing against teams including the first-place finisher Headwall and other national competitors. The team also received recognition across multiple challenge phases.
NIST PSCR & Texas A&M University & TEEX
AI3 Challenge
Applied artificial intelligence approaches to a government data and analytics challenge, earning first place recognition in a multi-organization competition. Engineering Dynamics tied for the top position, demonstrating the team's ability to deliver production-grade AI solutions in a competitive, independently evaluated environment.
2022
NIST PSCR & FirstNet Authority
Mobile Fingerprinting Innovation Technology (mFIT) Challenge
Developed a contactless mobile fingerprint capture application for field law enforcement officers using stereo depth vision and laser time-of-flight sensors to achieve accurate, automatically-resized fingerprint images. The solution leveraged Android's Multi-Camera API for dual-camera access and optical image stabilization to reduce blur. Tested against a mock database of over 2 million images and evaluated on efficiency, ease of use, and innovation. Engineering Dynamics received the Innovation Award (one of only five granted) for its novel technical approach to the fingerprint capture problem.
2020
NIH / NCI
Metadata Automation DREAM Challenge
Applied automated approaches to standardize and enrich biomedical metadata, a foundational challenge in making clinical research datasets interoperable and machine-readable. The DREAM Challenge framework is one of the most rigorous open-science competition structures in biomedical research, drawing teams from leading academic medical centers and research institutions worldwide.
2019
NIST PSCR & FirstNet Authority
Haptic Interfaces for Public Safety Challenge
Investigated the potential of haptic feedback to improve first responder reaction times and accuracy in low-visibility environments, using both virtual reality testing scenarios and real-world prototype evaluation. Challenge partners included EAI (Engineering Acoustics, Inc), MSA Safety and the West Metro Fire Protection District. Results from the challenge directly informed PSCR's subsequent research agenda on tactile interfaces for public safety.
DC Government / OCTO & US Ignite
DCx Innovation Challenge
Developed Public Safety Sensor Fusion (PS2F), a mobile platform using automated video analytics and sensor fusion to improve situational awareness for first responders. Designed to leverage 5G's low-latency networking to stream real-time sensor data to incident command. Recognized as a semifinalist and ultimately placed among the top three finishers in the city-wide public innovation challenge backed by Mayor Bowser's office, DC Police, Fire and EMS, and Verizon's 5G Lab.
2017-2018
NIST PSCR
Virtual Reality Heads-Up Display Navigation Challenge
Designed a VR heads-up display for first responders navigating fire and law enforcement scenarios, part of NIST's initiative to advance UI technology for public safety. The four-stage challenge culminated in live demonstrations at the 2018 PSCR Stakeholder Conference in San Diego, where over 500 attendees from across the public safety community evaluated competing prototypes. Two teams tied for first place; Engineering Dynamics was one of them.
HHS / Office of Inspector General
RAT-STATS: Statistical Software for Healthcare Oversight Challenge
Rebuilt the OIG's legacy RAT-STATS statistical sampling tool, a cornerstone of federal healthcare audit oversight, to be modern, extensible, and fully 508-compliant. The challenge required replicating four core modules and passing 60 standardized test cases. The Engineering Dynamics entry was recognized for its elegant combined module design that unified stratified and unrestricted variable appraisal functions, along with drag-and-drop file import.
What the record means
Prize challenges don't have preferred vendors. You either solve the problem or you don't.
Our challenge record spans healthcare, defense, AI, biometrics, drone systems, augmented reality, and geospatial data. Across all of it, the throughline is the same: interdisciplinary teams, deep domain knowledge, and engineering solutions that put the end user first.
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