MetaVR News Volume VIII, Issue 1 September 14, 2004 http://www.metavr.com/ MetaVR makes software that enables you to create and run high- resolution photo-realistic 3D virtual worlds on commercial PC image generators. In This Issue: 15.A - Three Operational Convoy Training Sites Using MetaVR Visuals 15.B - MetaVR Delivery of 41 Visual Systems for UAV Simulation 15.C - Continued Deployment of A-10 FMTs to US Air Force for CAS Training 15.D - MetaVR Releases New Metadesic Compiler 15.E - MetaVR's Photo-Specific Models ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15.A Three Operational Convoy Training Sites Using MetaVR Visuals From November 2003 through July 2004, 5,500 soldiers were trained for for convoy duty at Fort Hood, TX prior to departure for Iraq using MetaVR real-time 3D visualization to simulate a virtual Baghdad. The Warrior Skills Trainer (WST) convoy simulator was developed by on-site III Corps and Alion Science and Technology staffs, with collaborative development of the Commanders Work Station (CWS) accomplished by IDSI. The WST simulator is comprised of several simulation models that enable units to train for convoy-related tasks. Twenty-four MetaVR visual systems are in use for convoy training at Ft. Hood (6), Ft. Carson, CO (12), and Ft. Stewart GA (6). WST provides a field initiated prototype training environment for units to practice convoy Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) before live training or as refresher training. The WST consists of three simulators of High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) in which trainees drive through a virtual representation of Baghdad and surrounding areas, in a manner similar to driving in a video game. Each MetaVR delivery included 22 HMMWV models in the 3D content entity library that were developed by RealDB. HMMWV driving, communications and other capabilities are supported by the JCATS simulation. All friendly, enemy, and non-combatant events that occur in the driving scenario are produced by JCATS and its interaction with the virtual driving system; this system consists of the National Simulation Center's "Commander's Workstation" and MetaVR VRSG. Each HMMWV has a joystick for rotating the driver's view, a laptop with software to track the driver's movement in the simulation, and a corresponding map to help with navigation. Each HMMWV is also equipped with a mixture of two simulated individual weapons and a simulated crew-served weapon provided by the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) which trainees use to engage the enemy in a gunnery scenario linked to the driving scenario. Based upon soldier feedback, Cubic Corporation and MetaVR collaborated to upgrade the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) visuals to use the VRSG visual systems. The small-arms training simulation, which features Cubic developed human animated characters, had been running as a standalone application on EST-2000 devices. Part of the upgrade effort entailed networking the EST system such that it would integrate with the WST convoy trainer. http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/convoytrainer.html http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/vrsg-humvee-details.html http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/VRSG3Dcontent-mil-land1.html http://www.metavr.com/products/worldperfect/wp3Dcontentbuildings1.html http://www.realdb.qc.ca/ http://www.cubic.com/cda1/index.html http://www.alionscience.com/ http://www.ids-i.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15.B MetaVR Delivery of 41 Visual Systems for UAV Simulation MetaVR provides visual systems for a number of ongoing UAV simulation programs: AAI recently purchased 33 new VRSG licenses; 20 for continued deployment of the Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) program and 13 for the Hunter ground control station. AAI is currently building the new ground control stations for the existing Hunter UAVs as part of their OneSystem Ground Control Equipment (GCE). The NASCAR 2004 race events are demonstrating the U.S. Army MUSE program UAV operator training system using MetaVR visuals. These demo systems have given the general public the opportunity to briefly play the role of a UAV payload operator. The systems are scheduled to be on display at 23 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events around the USA this year, ending in November. The first demonstration took place at the NASCAR Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2004. The Digital Battle Staff Sustainment Trainer (DBST) program recently purchased 8 MetaVR visual systems for Ft. Wainwright. DBST uses the MetaVR visual system as a component of their simulation, which provides the synthetic UAV camera payload view. http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/TUAV.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/convoytrainer.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/muse-nascar.html http://www.aaicorp.com/corporate/press/OneSystem.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15.C Continued Deployment of A-10 FMTs to US Air Force for CAS Training Recently the U.S. Air Force purchased 26 additional MetaVR visualization software licenses for fielding at new and existing A-10 Full Mission Trainer (FMT) simulation facilities for the purpose of conducting close air support (CAS) training. Barksdale AFB, LA, will receive two new five-channel visual systems to upgrade existing legacy simulators with out-the-window and sensor channels. As well the three existing MetaVR-based A-10 sites at Boise, ID, Battlecreek AFB, MI, and Bradley AFB, CT, will receive additional visual channels. The focus in CAS training is the coordination of munitions delivery with the goal of minimizing friendly fire casualties. The versatility of the distributed CAS training was demonstrated in 2003 in a proof-of-concept exercise for live, virtual, and constructive urban CAS scenarios using low cost encryption devices for Internet based networked simulation. These scenarios also included combat identification of friendly forces. The Air Force Research Lab in Mesa, Arizona ran the enhanced Ft. Benning database in its A-10 full-mission trainer (FMT) simulators connected to a long-haul encrypted (Taclane KG-175) DIS network. A virtual forward air controller (FAC) and a live FAC were simultaneously situated within Ft. Benning (the former on virtual terrain) and connected to the encrypted network. http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/CASNET.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/fwa10followup.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/fwsa10.html http://www.metavr.com/casestudies/forwardobserver.html http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/immersim.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/ftbenning.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15.D MetaVR Releases Virtual Terrain Generation with Metadesic Compiler The latest addition to MetaVR's Windows-based PC visualization product line is the Metadesic terrain compiler, which supports the Metadesic architecture by compiling imagery and elevation source data into the three-dimensional and self-contained MDS format. The resulting virtual terrain is suitable for real-time rendering in perspective view applications such as image generators and modeling tools. The Metadesic compiler can interact with, or even be embedded into, the visualization application. An important concept in the Metadesic architecture is the geodesic tile. The tile defines the geographic extent of a logical unit of work in the visualization pipeline that flows from sensor acquisition, to registration and enhancement of source data, through compilation of three-dimensional terrain, right to rendering of a perspective view. Metadesic tiles are autonomous in that they can be compiled, viewed, and updated individually. Likewise, for coordinated applications, the numerous tiles that are needed to populate the entire scene are seamlessly rendered by the image generator. Each tile remains individually addressable and can be updated on a frame-by-frame basis. MetaVR recently used the new Metadesic compiler to build its latest 3D visualization product, a seamless terrain of the conterminous United States (CONUS). This 3D terrain is ready-to-fly with the current VRSG release (version 4). The Metadesic terrain was constructed from DTED 1 elevation data with 15 meter-per-pixel LandSat7 satellite imagery over the entire 975-geocell area. The terrain resides in a geocentric coordinate system and is suitable for real-time visualization, simulation, and synthetic vision such as glass-cockpit displays, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications and fixed-wing cockpit simulation. The CONUS dataset is provided free of charge (beyond hardware and shipping costs) to our customer base. In addition to the Metadesic-formatted (MDS) terrain for visualization in VRSG, the dataset also includes the complete elevation and imagery source data used to construct the terrain. http://www.metavr.com/products/metadesic/metadesic_compiler.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/conus.html http://www.metavr.com/technology/metadesic.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15.E MetaVR's Photo-Specific Models MetaVR, in collaboration with RealDB Inc., now offers 3D models built using our new photographically-specific 3D model convention. The intent of this convention is to create a model that has a one-to-one mapping of photographic elements to unique geometry such that there are no repeating textures. The latest featured model is the T-80 UM1 from the former Soviet Union with the ARENA self-defense system. Each model purchase includes the OpenFlight source data, texture files in editable RGB and PhotoShop formats, and source images in raw format. Note that some models in the VRSG 3D content library are "hybrids" in their texture makeup. These models are approximately 75-80% photo-specific; the remaining textures are photo-realistic. http://www.metavr.com/products/MetaVRPhotoSpec3Dcontent.html http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/vrsgphotospec3Dcontent-hunter.html http://www.metavr.com/products/vrsg/VRSG3Dcontent-mil-land1.html http://www.realdb.qc.ca/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Previous issues of MetaVR News can be found at http://www.metavr.com/aboutus/newsarchive.html. Copyright 2004, MetaVR, Inc. MetaVR, Inc. 37 Elm Street Brookline, MA 02445-6813 USA This electronic newsletter may be redistributed without restriction in any format as long as the contents are unaltered. MetaVR News is comprised of over 10,000 e-mail addresses collected from company correspondence and public forums comprised of those who have interest in visual simulation. 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