By John Rhea
HERNDON, Va. - Officials of Grumman Data Systems Corp. in Herndon, Va., a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp., have begun delivering a software package to federal agencies to enable emergency response teams to consolidate multimedia information in personal computers.
The software, which will run on PCs with as little processing power as an Intel 386 microprocessor, generates reports and maps in the National Imagery and Mapping Agency format.
The package, designated Northrop View, accepts several inputs (including video), processes the information, and sends out the reports in real time.
Officials of the U.S. Customs Service, for example, are using the package in drug-interdiction missions in which aircraft sensors provide inputs and the report includes weather conditions.
Another user is the U.S. Marine Corp., whose officials have installed the software in manpacks. Other users include the U.S. Coast Guard for oil spills and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its response teams.
The commercial version of Northrop View costs $895 without tactical communications capability.
