MetaVR News Volume IX, Issue 2 December 15, 2005 http://www.metavr.com/ MetaVR creates 3D real-time PC-based visual systems that provide the fidelity of geospecific simulation with game quality graphics. In This Issue: 18.A - Continued Use of MetaVR Visuals in Shadow UAV Embedded Trainers 18.B - Ft. Wainwright, Virtual Urban Warfare Training Site Delivered 18.C - Continued Convoy Trainer Sales Using MetaVR Visuals and Terrain 18.D - MetaVR Delivers Additional Visual Systems to Mounted Warfare Testbed 18.E - MetaVR in the Press 18.F - MetaVR Interviewed by Four Network News Agencies at Simulation Show 18.G - Northrop Grumman Purchases Simulated Laser Designator ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.A Continued Use of MetaVR Visuals in Shadow UAV Embedded Trainers As part of the ongoing support of the TUAV Shadow Ground Control Station (GCS) embedded trainer, MetaVR recently delivered 27 of its 3D real-time visualization licenses to AAI Corporation. In addition, 11 MetaVR visualization licenses were recently added for a total of 22 GCS Institutional Mission Simulators at the new U.S. Army Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Training Center at Ft. Huachuca, AZ [see #18.E]. Both the Shadow and Hunter UAVs use the same GCS developed by AAI which use MetaVR software for the embedded training component. AAI demonstrated MetaVR's enhanced Baghdad database with the new Green Zone area, [as described in item #18.C] as part of their convoy simulation at this year's Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference and Trade Show (I/ITSEC) 2005. Their demonstration highlighted the value of using UAVs to support convoy duty. In another demonstration AAI also used MetaVR's recently updated Ft. Benning database to participate in the One Tactical Engagement Simulation System (OneTESS) demonstration. http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/TUAV.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/baghdadviews.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/ftbenning.html http://www.aaicorp.com http://www.military-training-technology.com/article.cfm?DocID=1256 http://www.peostri.army.mil/PRODUCTS/ONETESS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.B Ft. Wainwright, Virtual Urban Warfare Training Site Delivered MetaVR recently built and delivered a 3D terrain database of the Ft. Wainwright Combined Arms Combat Training Facility, named after Pvt. Joseph P. Martinez. The terrain database was built using MetaVR's terrain creation services and Ft. Wainwright uses the terrain database to train for Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT). Included in the terrain database are 16 hybrid photorealistic, photospecific MOUT building models with interiors and articulated doors. These models and models of other structures were created from perspectiveless digital photographs of the structures at the actual MOUT site. The building models have radiosity (soft shadows) applied to the geometry to increase their realism. The MOUT site details include an underground drainage system, which is modeled from tunnel entrances and includes the associated underground concrete pipe network. The database makes extensive use of other cultural elements such as volumetric trees, street signs, power transformers, street lights, curbs, bleacher seats, gas pumps, oil drums, fences, flag poles, portable rest-rooms, utility cables, picnic tables, and a surveillance camera. Source data for the database includes .5 mpp 14 km x 15 km black-and-white imagery for the MOUT site fused with 1 mpp 16 km x 11 km color imagery for the entire Ft. Wainwright area; elevation was comprised of breakpoint elevation survey data for the MOUT site and 41 meter post data for the entire Ft. Wainwright area. The terrain database was created with MetaVR WorldPerfect while the MOUT site area cultural features were modeled in Blender, an open source 3D modeling application. The model designers made use of MetaVR's new plugin to Blender, which exports models in MetaVR's HPX format. This terrain database is compatible with the MetaVR based DBST units fielded last year as described in MetaVR News Volume VIII Issue 2, #16.G. MetaVR's new Ft. Wainwright database is available free of charge to all US Government agencies and contractors (for official use only) and requires version 4 of VRSG. http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/ftwainwright.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/ConstructingModelsforUrbanEnvironments.html http://www.metavr.com/downloads/MetaVR_News_Volume_VIII_Issue_2.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.C Continued Convoy Trainer Sales Using MetaVR Visuals and Terrain Ft. Riley, KS, recently purchased 11 small form factor image generator systems for their convoy trainer program. These systems augment the 24 systems already fielded at Ft. Hood, TX, Ft. Carson, CO, and Ft. Stewart, GA. Each MetaVR delivery included a collection of 22 Humvee models of unique types in the 3D content entity library; each model has four paint schemes. Delivered with this sale, at no additional charge, was MetaVR's Baghdad, Iraq database, which MetaVR recently enhanced with geospecific imagery and photo- specific models of the Green Zone area of Baghdad. This database, which was described initially in MetaVR News Volume IX Issue 1, #17.A, is designed to support convoy simulation by accurately representing complex multi-elevation structures such as cloverleaf overpasses, underpasses, and bridges. http://www.metavr.com/ig-cube.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/convoytrainer.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/baghdadviews.html http://www.metavr.com/downloads/MetaVR_News_Volume_IX_Issue_1.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.D MetaVR Delivers Additional Visual Systems to Mounted Warfare Testbed The Mounted Warfare Testbed at Ft. Knox, KY, recently purchased 42 visual systems for the Advanced Concept Research Tool (ACRT) program. See MetaVR News Volume VII Issue 3, #14.A, and MetaVR News Volume VII Issue 1, #12.A, for more information about this program. The Mounted Warfare Testbed now has a total of 153 MetaVR visualization licenses. These systems are used for out-the-window visuals for the ACRT simulator and Future Combat Systems experiments. http://www.metavr.com/downloads/MetaVR_News_Volume_VII_Issue_1.txt http://www.metavr.com/downloads/MetaVR_News_Volume_VII_Issue_3.txt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.E MetaVR in the Press MetaVR is cited in the December 2005 issue of Military Training & Technology magazine in the article, "Unmanned Aerial Simulation". This article describes the UAV simulator at the UAV Training Center at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. In addition to providing maintenance support for the UAV Training Center, AAI Corporpation provides training known as "brigade integration team training," which involves classroom training, simulated flights, and live flights. AAI uses MetaVR VRSG as the 3D synthetic payload visualization system for its Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) Ground Control Station (GCS) embedded trainer and for the Institutional Mission Simulator used at the UAV schoolhouse at Ft Huachuca. [See item #18A.] MetaVR is also cited in the December 2005 issue of Training and Simulation Journal (TSJ), in the article, "I/ITSEC Show Spotlight: One Show". MetaVR made Military Training and Technology's annual Top 100 list for 2005 in the November 2005 issue; MetaVR's award for innovation marks its third consecutive year on the list. MetaVR was cited and quoted in the August 2004 issue of the Military & Aerospace Electronics, in the article "Commercial Gear Sets the Standard for Military Push into Embedded Training". The article discusses the military's embedded training systems' heavy reliance on continued technology growth in the 3D graphics commercial markets, and the value of commercial hardware, software tools, and terrain databases to applications such as UAV, MOUT, FCS and Stryker simulation training. http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/TUAV.html http://www.military-training-technology.com/article.cfm?DocID=1256 http://mae.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=209878 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.F MetaVR Interviewed by Four Network News Agencies at Simulation Show MetaVR was interviewed by Orlando, FL, affiliates of four major television networks during the recent I/ITSEC 2005 simulation trade show: FOX (WOFL Fox35), ABC (WFTV Channel 9), NBC (WESH Channel 2), and NPR. Filming took place at MetaVR's Booth #1058 at the annual Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference and Trade Show (I/ITSEC), which was held from November 28 to December 1, 2005, at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. At I/ITSEC, MetaVR announced its Greater Baghdad database, a 270 km x 200 km 3D terrain database developed from colorized 1 meter black and white imagery and 30 meter elevation data, which was built with a combination of both MetaVR's commercial and internal terrain-creation software. Each area consists of built-up micro-terrain with geospecific cultural content and colorized imagery. The initial version of the database that was released earlier this year is used by the Combat Studies Institute (CSI) for ground combat simulation. That release of the database was developed jointly by CSI and MetaVR to fulfill CSI's need for classroom training using 3D virtual terrain of urban areas in and around Baghdad, Iraq. The latest release of the database contains the Green Zone area, which includes new custom 3D content of that area that MetaVR's model designers created in Blender, an open source 3D modeling application. The model designers used MetaVR's new Blender plugin to export models from Blender to MetaVR's HPX model format. MetaVR also announced development and delivery of its new Ft. Wainwright MOUT site training database that uses .5 mpp fused-color imagery, 100 meter elevation data, micro-terrain, and substantial custom-built 3D feature content. This 3D simulated urban warfare training database is used in the DBST program. Ft. Wainwright supports simulation training of dismounted infantry and UAV ground control, as well as training on BCST Stryker vehicle simulators. [see #18.B] MetaVR demonstrated VRSG in a forward observer role by using a simulated LLDR which is used for Close Air Support and Call for Fire applications. Fidelity Technologies has fielded MetaVR software with their Call for Fire Trainer jointly developed with the U.S. Army PEO STRI, as described in MetaVR News Volume IX Issue 1, #17.E. MetaVR demonstrated new versions of its core software real-time 3D visualization product Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG), and its two 3D terrain-generation products, WorldPerfect, and Metadesic Compiler. Among the 3D terrain databases that MetaVR demonstrated were the new Ft. Wainwright terrain MOUT site, the new Greater Baghdad, Iraq, Green Zone database and the North America 3D terrain database. The North America 3D terrain database was displayed on a synchronized three-channel 61" plasma monitor configuration, with two geocells of .5 m natural color imagery of the Los Angeles area. The entire terrain database was built using the Metadesic Compiler and spans coast-to-coast with several high-resolution (.3, 1, and 5 meter) insets, including 5 m insets of 59 cities, on base natural color imagery of 15 meters. Other virtual terrain demonstrated with updated content included the Ft. Lewis terrain database with its Leschi Town MOUT site, the Ft. Campbell Cassidy and Ft. Benning McKenna MOUT sites, and the National Training Center (NTC) at Ft. Irwin, with its Tiefort City urban training village. The databases that MetaVR demonstrated contain substantial new cultural feature assets from MetaVR's 3D model libraries, such as photo-realistic models of several types of buildings and other features such as bridges, volumetric trees, and urban street elements. Many features were built with photo-realistic textures based on site-specific photographs of MOUT sites, and public domain photographs of the Greater Baghdad area. MetaVR's model designers used MetaVR's new Blender plugin to export the models they created in the Blender 3D modeling application to MetaVR's HPX model format. In the MetaVR booth at I/ITSEC 2005 MetaVR hosted BostonTech Partners Inc. BostonTech Partners provided iSCSI Storage Area Network devices (SANs) in support of MetaVR's software demonstrations. The company also demonstrated the advantages of its solutions in conjunction with MetaVR simulation software. Its centralized storage solution allows multiple workstations to access a single instance of the simulation database. This eliminates the need for each workstation to have its own database, reducing the administrative tasks associated with maintaining multiple copies of database across the network or locally on each computer. Further efficiencies were demonstrated with a diskless image generator computer that boots its OS from the network, thus eliminating the need for a hard drive. The MetaVR booth at I/ITSEC 2005 was designed by Shepard Exposition Services, who also designed the booth at I/ITSEC 2003 and I/ITSEC 2004. The Barco projection screen and plasma monitors were provided by Hi-Tech, which specializes in presentation equipment, audio, video, computer, and lighting rentals. http://www.metavr.com/iitsec2005.html http://www.metavr.com/products/LLDRembeddedsystem.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/ConstructingModelsforUrbanEnvironments.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/ftwainwright.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/baghdadviews.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/ftlewis-stryker.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/ftcampbell.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/ftbenning.html http://www.bostontechpartners.com http://www.shepardes.com/new/exhibit_services.asp http://www.hitechrent.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18.G Northrop Grumman Purchases Simulated Laser Designator Northrop Grumman, which produces laser designator units for the U.S. Army, recently purchased from MetaVR a simulated Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR) to use with VRSG, MetaVR's 3D real-time visualization product. The simulated LLDR with MetaVR software is currently fielded with the 25th ID, Schofield Barracks, HI in their forward observers simulation application. The simulated LLDR is interoperable with the latest Greater Baghdad, Green Zone terrain database which can be used by troops to simulate call for fire missions as forward observers in dense urban environments. When the simulated LLDR device is coupled with MetaVR's 3D visualization technology, MetaVR VRSG generates the simulated sensor video 3D scene and the range and coordinates of the designated target. When an operator lases on a target, a DIS PDU is transmitted to indicate the range designation information to other simulations on the network. MetaVR offers a simulated LLDR manufactured by Fidelity Technologies for use in conjunction with the MetaVR visualization software [MetaVR News Volume_IX_Issue 1 #17E]. MetaVR software was used to develop the visual component of the US Army PEO STRI Call For Fire Trainer. These simulated LLDR devices have been fielded with and can make use of all of MetaVR's no cost terrain databases. http://www.metavr.com/products/LLDRembeddedsystem.html http://www.metavr.com/downloads/MetaVR_News_Volume_IX_Issue_1.txt http://www.metavr.com/technology/3DdatabasesMDX.html http://www.dsd.es.northropgrumman.com/laser/ANPED.html http://www.fidelitytech.com/simtraining.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This electronic newsletter may be redistributed without restriction in any format as long as the contents are unaltered. Previous issues of MetaVR News can be found at http://www.metavr.com/aboutus/newsarchive.html. Copyright 2005, MetaVR, Inc. MetaVR, Inc. 80 Somerset Road Brookline, MA 02445 USA MetaVR News is comprised of over 14,000 e-mail addresses collected from company correspondence and public forums comprised of those who have interest in visual simulation. 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