3 questions to Ioannis Giannoulakis from Eight Bells

We asked 3 questions to Ioannis Giannoulakis from Eight Bells (Cyprus)

Why did your company get involved in the COMMANDS?

EIGHT BELLS LTD (8BELLS) decided to join the COMMANDS project, as the goals of COMMANDS aligns with 8BELLS’ expertise and vision for innovation in defence technology. Specifically, COMMANDS focuses on advanced technologies relating to Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), intelligent behaviour and manned-unmanned operations. These are fields which 8BELLS can contribute to, given our expertise and experience. 8BELLS also joined COMMANDS, as this is an EDF project, which aligns with 8BELLS’ goal to contribute in enhancing Europe’s defence ecosystem through the provision of resilient and innovative technological solutions. Being part of the COMMANDS consortium was also another factor in our decision to join the project, as having the opportunity to collaborate, exchange knowledge and co-develop innovative technologies with the consortium and its partners, we feel will provide 8BELLS with invaluable experience, allowing us to expand our expertise in the development of defence platforms. Being within the COMMANDS consortium will also allow the visibility and credibility of 8BELLS to be enhanced as a defence sector solutions provider, which will hopefully help 8BELLS with future defence related opportunities. Finally, COMMANDS is not primarily about technology innovations, but mostly about improving the safety, effectiveness and operational capacity of EU defence forces. 8BELLS is very proud to contribute to such projects, directly supporting the goals for a safer and more capable Europe.

COMMANDS therefore allows 8BELLS to showcase our expertise, contribute to Europe’s defence innovations and present the company as a leader in advanced technological solutions for defence applications.

What is your specific role in the project?

As part of COMMANDS, 8BELLS’ specific role involves the development, provision and integration of HIPPALUS and its ground-based counterpart, Ground HIPPALUS. These software solutions are important for autonomous mission planning and operational efficiency in dynamic and challenging environments. Key capabilities of these include real-time path planning, obstacle avoidance, threat mitigation and human-in-the-loop validation. All these capabilities can help enhance mission efficiency and safety of autonomous ground and aerial vehicles.

By delivering these systems, 8BELLS contributes to the COMMANDS project by enhancing the operational capabilities of manned and unmanned operations, addressing critical challenges in autonomous navigation and ensuring successful implementation in military and other applications.

How do you see the added value of COMMANDS for the European armed forces?

COMMANDS will deliver significant added value to European armed forces by enhancing their operational capabilities, ensuring strategic autonomy and preparing them for future challenges. It will help enable seamless manned-unmanned operations, using advanced AI and modular architectures to optimise operations in complex environments. Solutions like HIPPALUS and Ground HIPPALUS will help ensure real-time route planning, threat avoidance and mission adaptability, boosting effectiveness and safety during critical missions. COMMANDS will also allow autonomous systems to take on high-risk tasks, reducing human risk/exposure and operational costs.

Strategically, COMMANDS strengthens Europe’s technological independence by enabling and fostering innovation within the EU defense ecosystem. It will help forces rely on EU created solutions, reducing dependency on external to the EU technologies. Furthermore, COMMANDS incorporates ethics in AI and human-in-the-loop systems, ensuring responsible and accountable decision-making.