Written by / Compiled by KMI Media Group staff

Higher Fidelity Environmental Effects

Sundog Software LLC released version 1.70 of SilverLining, a C++ library for the real-time rendering of the sky, 3-D volumetric clouds and precipitation effects, which is widely used in military training, simulation and games.

“SilverLining can be integrated to provide simulated skies and 3-D volumetric clouds with any visual simulation built on OpenSceneGraph, OpenGVS, OpenGL or DirectX on Windows or Linux-based systems—that’s essentially all of the COTSbased simulators out there. We are currently integrated with VT MÄK’s VR-Vantage product, for example,” Frank Kane, CEO, Sundog, told MT2. He continued, “We’ve seen over a 20 percent improvement in frame rates in our test applications using our new DirectX10 renderer compared to DirectX9.”

Kane placed the improved frame rate in context for the training audience. “A 20 percent frame rate improvement means that simulations can include denser layers of clouds, or clouds that stretch out for further distances than previously possible, while still maintaining real-time performance. Our benchmarks show skies with 40 percent cloud coverage stretching to the horizon together with to-the-horizon terrain, at full-screen resolutions, with 300 Hz performance on consumer-grade hardware.”

Frank Kane: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

MetaVR’s New 3-D Afghanistan Terrain

To meet the needs of training NATO soldiers for warfare in Afghanistan, MetaVR has built 3-D geospecific terrain covering 9,600 square kilometers, featuring a highresolution virtual village with over 500 buildings in the Afghan province of Kabul. This virtual terrain is available in both MetaVR’s round-earth and flat-earth formats for visualizing in the company’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG). The terrain will also be delivered with correlated SAF databases in CTDB and OTF formats.

As a significant percentage of Afghanistan’s population lives in mountainous terrain, training warfighters in a simulated environment that accurately represents mountainous regions with small population centers is critical. Unlike the simplified, flattened terrain used to simulate urban environments in most image generators and video games, MetaVR’s Afghan village is set within mountains and complex terrain of varying elevation, enabling realistic training scenarios for operations in mountain villages. The virtual terrain for this area was built from geospecific high-resolution elevation and imagery source data and augmented with finer level terrain details that add to the realism near ground level.

This virtual terrain, built with MetaVR Terrain Tools for ESRI ArcGIS, includes 1,120 square kilometers of 60 cm Digital Globe commercial satellite source imagery and 90 meter elevation posts and features a highly detailed 2 by 2 km inset terrain patch of a geospecific Afghan village. This terrain is built entirely from commercial, non-export controlled source data.

MetaVR’s Afghanistan 3-D terrain was built in collaboration with Simthetiq.

W.G. Smith: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Army Awards Range Devices Contract to Saab

Saab Training Systems has received a contract to produce and field simulators and targets for five gunnery ranges for the U.S. Army.

The lead integrator for the ranges is General Dynamics Information Technology, who ordered the moving and stationary targets and simulators for installation over the next two years. “The ranges are part of the Digital Range Training System program, which provides live fire gunnery training facilities for the soldiers in a train-as-you-fight environment using live simulation and an after-action-review capability with position location, video imagery and digital vehicle information. This order increases Saab’s product base within training systems in the U.S. where it has been supplying targets and range controllers to the Army and Marine Corps since 1980,” read a company statement provided to MT2.

Howard Harris: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ExpeditionDI Upgrade Announced

Quantum3D announced a substantial upgrade to ExpeditionDI, its immersive, man-wearable training system. The latest system, identified as ExpeditionDI Block 3, includes a new graphics processor that delivers a 300 percent performance improvement, as well as enhanced weapon instrumentation designed to improve realism for training infantrymen.

The new computer, internally dubbed “T2e,” is an enhanced version of the company’s ruggedized Thermite 1300 tactical visual computer. Designed specifically for the ExpeditionDI system, T2e enables the latest generation games and application software to be hosted on ExpeditionDI. The new platform delivers frame rate improvements exceeding 300 percent when running Bohemia Interactive’s VBS2 software, allowing ExpeditionDI to integrate seamlessly into programs such as the U.S. Army’s Game After Ambush.

“ExpeditionDI demonstrates the flexibility and power of COTS, open architecture solutions for training and mission rehearsal applications. ExpeditionDI is the industry’s only untethered, immersive training system available for the dismounted infantry synthetic environment and mission rehearsal,” John Carswell, ExpeditionDI program director, Quantum3D, told MT2. Carswell added, “This unique freedom provides an unparalleled level of natural movement and interaction through a wide range of virtual environments while conducting infantry drills such as crawling, walking, running, climbing stairs, opening doors with the realistic weapons.”

Quantum3D has also added improved instrumentation to the weapons that it offers with its ExpeditionDI hardware platform.

Scott MacDougall: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

New Language Tools

Accent Reduction Institute released three interactive language technology tools customized to meet operational needs of United States military personnel and government agencies. Decoding Foreign Accents builds competency in understanding heavily accented speech; Global Accent Markers enables civilian and/ or military officials to quickly identify a suspect’s place of origin based on the accent of their spoken English; and Mastering English Pronunciation minimizes accented speech by teaching non-native English speakers how to pronounce words and sounds that do not exist in foreign languages.

Judy Ravin, president, Accent Reduction Institute, explained for MT2, “We’ve developed this particular series of technology applications to create seamless communication required during times of critical need, operational necessity, or as the mission dictates. These tools are designed to eliminate language barriers in overseas theaters while helping people maintain their unique cultural identities.”

All three programs, based on the Ravin Method of rapid language acquisition, are rooted in the core disciplines of cognitive neurology, speech pathology and applied linguistics and use auditory, kinesthetic and visual feedback.

These language tools also have utility for DoD training audiences as they participate in mission rehearsal and predeployment training with foreign-language-speaking role players.

Corissa Niemann: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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