Army needs head-mounted display technology for immersive virtual reality simulator that trains artillery crews and commanders
ORLANDO, Fla., 6 June 2010. U.S. Army researchers are asking industry to develop advanced head-mounted display (HMD) technology to create a deployable immersive virtual-realitysimulation and training system to help field artillery crews and commanders train in realistic conditions that include explosions, sniper fire, screams of the wounded, heat, and wind.
The Army Program Executive Office Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) in Orlando, Fla., issued a sources-sought announcement (RDECOM-BAA-10-035) Friday for research in immersive simulation capabilities to improve the Joint Fires & Effects Trainer System (JFETS) -- a suite of immersive virtual reality environments at Fort Sill, Okla., designed to help soldiers make critical decisions under stress and provide collective team training.
JFETS recreates life-like environments that place soldiers in real world settings, which provides artificial intelligence behaviors to insurgent forces and realistic, reactive behaviors to civilians. The problem, however, is JFETS is set up at a fixed site at Fort Sill. Army leaders want to bring this realistic training system to other locations.
To do this, Army researchers want to develop helmet- and head-mounted display technology to bring JFETS virtual-reality training to operational, joint, and authorized coalition users in the field.
JFETS will evolve into the Call For Fire Trainer Increment II Plus (CFFT II Plus) program, which is a virtual training system that provides an immersive, simulated battlefield to train field artillery officers, fire support specialists, and joint fires observers.
Army researchers are interested in head-mounted display technology that has augmented virtuality techniques that can insert a real-world view into the computer generated image in the head-mounted display to wrap the video around the trainee. This kind of optical see-through capability would enable the soldier to view map, compass, and other devices without leaving the virtual environment. This could enable the student to perform critical tasks in a high stress situation.
Companies interested should send white papers no later than 18 June -- just two weeks away -- by post to RDECOM Contracting Center - Aberdeen (RDECOM-CC), ATTN: AMSSB-ACC-A, 4118 Susquehanna Ave., Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-3013. Companies submitting promising white papers may be invited to submit proposals, which will be by 16 Aug. 2010.
For questions or concerns, contact The Army's Pat Garrity by phone at 407-384-3663 or by e-mail at [email protected]. For contractual questios or concerns, contact Richard Boast by phone at 407-208-3290, by e-mail at [email protected], or by post at US Army RDECOM Acquisition Center, 12423 Research Parkway, Orlando, FL 32826.
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/95cf10e2eb68c88326ff34ba64120e0c. For additional information contact the Army PEO STRI.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
