How the military uses XR to improve staff training
According to the U.S. News & World Report, more than 600,000 US soldiers have died since WWI, and more than 400,000 have died since WWII. Improved training would serve as one of the key controllable factors that can reduce casualties.
“By providing soldiers with a more immersive and realistic training environment and allowing them to practice complex tasks before they're deployed on actual missions, these technologies could save lives and make us safer.”
Former British Army officer turned technology entrepreneur & guest contributor on BBC Click on matters related to innovation within the defense industry.
Defense forces globally are actively seeking new ways to modernize training, accelerate implementation and improve staff preparedness with immersive 3D & frontier technologies like Augmented (AR), Virtual (VR), and Mixed reality (MR), and artificial intelligence (AI).
AR, VR, MR, & AI have moved beyond technology & military jargon in our rapid high growth world. The use of these technologies are now rapidly being implemented in high-growth industries like healthcare, education, manufacturing, and construction sectors. So it makes sense that this would also find its way into the military. Enhancing how soldiers are being prepared for disaster and war and facing the rising challenge of competing against enemy forces.
All military branches have been exploring the potential applications of XR technologies in various degrees. How will the game experience increase their likelihood of survival in combat? Let’s identify ways this can increase survival using examples of these cutting edge technologies.
Virtual Reality (VR), is a form of technology that most people are familiar with. The user will wear headgear or other attachments, and they are able to interact with a highly realistic 3D environment. However everything presented is computer-generated graphics, which means nothing is real or physically dangerous.
“I knew a little about gaming, but I knew that VR is the way of the future.” - Kyle Shireman, Huntsville Center safety manager
Kyle dedicated his effort on making virtual reality games specifically for military training purposes. This R&D hard work paid off as The United States Army announced on their website—The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Safety Trainer 360 brings VR simulation training to the United States Army and the safety trainer would be created by The Army Game Studio and Huntsville Center Safety Office. Trainees could interact and take action in an 3D worksite environment by equipping a headset and controller, with no chance of physical danger. The designers purposefully chose to create highly realistic environments with large cranes and minute details such as safety labels. The game has become a required safety training course. The studio also pointed out that they will continue working on more VR games projects after seeing its beneficial outcomes.
Augmented Reality (AR) presents digital overlays & content in a physical environment. Within the United States Air Force, airmen are responsible for launching aircraft, and professional training is needed before deployment. AR technology allows users to interact with virtual objects in real life by using head mounted displays (HMDs) similar in appearance to VR headsets, but with pass through displays presenting a game like experience.
“It’s a way to build the readiness and experience level by leveraging advanced technologies,” - Chief Master Sgt. John Jordan.
The video ‘Air Force using augmented reality to train fighter pilots’ provides us an insight of how fighter pilots are trained. The reporter had the opportunity to experience firsthand what it's like to be a pilot, through AR simulation. As shown in the video, the reporter gears up as a pilot, with AR goggles, then steps on an actual fighter jet in order to replicate the reality. The AR technology makes the surrounding environment spinning as the controller is being moved, and creates a virtual enemy fighter jet as an obstacle. Airmen will frequently deal with high pressure, high risk situations and AR will be one of the most efficient methods for training. Other military branches, such as the United States Coast Guard, announced they too will utilize AR for CG mission support as well.
Mixed Reality (MR) is the combination of real life and computer-generated environments. Examples of these headsets are the Microsoft Hololens, Magic Leap, HTC Vive, Apple Vision Pro and lesser known but higher fidelity specialized headsets such as the Varjo X-3.
How does this technology stack up against the others and how is it different?
The United States Space Force is a relatively new branch compared to others, but the technology they adopt is highly advanced. Guardians—space force personnel, will always be facing complex tasks that demand an extensive amount of knowledge. In the video ‘SOLAR – A mixed reality application suite for space situational awareness’, SOLAR is a fantastic MR tool developed by Charles River Analytics. It educates all people from diverse groups such as students, teachers, scientists, and more. Where the user will visualize and interact with the space domain, teaches them orbital mechanics through different scenarios. In the article ‘U.S. Space Force training service members with XR suite from Charles River Analytics’ mentioned U.S. Space Force will use SOLAR for Guardian Education.
Through virtual, augmented, and mixed reality simulated scenarios, soldiers are better professionally situated in solving tasks testing decision-making skills with efficiency in a way that is both cost-effective and safe. To saves the lives of our brave heroes who defend our country XR will be the most powerful tool that ultimately improves the readiness and effectiveness of the armed forces.
Guest Contributor
Friend of OMG Labs and eagerly awaiting to enlist into the United States Armed Forces. Ashley has long held a passion for the military for their ability to tranform the lives of young people with knowledge, disicipline and real life experience with frontier technologies.
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