Virtual reality bytes – military uses of VR
Box 1 | Synthetic environments
Australia is using new technologies to create 'synthetic environments' to enhance its defence capabilities. These environments are a blend of traditional military hardware and new technologies based on modelling, simulation and virtual reality.
Uses of synthetic environments
Synthetic environments are able to provide defence forces with a range of cost-effective training and analysis systems. They are being developed in four main areas:
1. Virtual battlespace
A computer
simulation that can create a real-world battle scenario
helps military decision-makers to reduce information overload and also to
understand military processes.
One version of the technology consists of a wedge-shaped virtual reality theatre where twin screens are arranged at right angles. The viewer is placed within the ‘V’ formed by the large screens, enhancing the sense of immersion by engaging their peripheral vision. The system can accurately represent any region on the Earth’s surface or any hypothetical terrain.
Information such as the position and movement of troops or the lines of supply and communication can be displayed on the virtual terrain, and updated in real time. The terrain can also be viewed from any perspective, angle or distance.
The battlefield viewed by the commander is accurate but simplified – the computer rapidly sifts available information and presents it when needed – to help deal with the complexity and chaos of war.
2. Military exercises
Mounting military exercises is a very
costly and time-consuming operation. Synthetic environments make it possible to
conduct military exercises – virtual war games – at a fraction of the cost it
would take to stage the real event.
The key idea behind virtual war games is a system that links individual synthetic environments into a vast network. Tank, aircraft or ship simulators based in different countries, all fighting the same battle against the same computer-controlled opposition, can be linked. The battle can be fought over terrain anywhere in the world, without ripping up the environment in the process.
Australia's Commonwealth Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) has already carried out a number of virtual war games. One involved constructing two virtual helicopters at its Salisbury Laboratory in South Australia. The helicopters, consisting of a bank of computers and cockpit simulators, were then taken to an air base near Katherine in the Northern Territory to take part in an actual military exercise.
To fly the helicopters, a virtual terrain was created from aerial and satellite photographs. The virtual terrain was an accurate digital copy of over 4000 square kilometres of the terrain where the exercise was to be held. The virtual landscape included roads, buildings, several million trees, and even virtual kangaroos that bounded away on hearing the helicopters approaching. Each of the aircrew sat in the simulated cockpits and reported to headquarters as though on a real mission.
The experience gained from these virtual helicopters will be put to use when the Army takes delivery of a new fleet of armed reconnaissance helicopters in 2004. Aircrews will already be trained in using the helicopters to detect, locate, identify and monitor enemy forces and to gather information for intelligence purposes.
3. Training and education
Personnel can be trained to operate military equipment without risk to their personal
safety. For example, pilots can be trained in cockpit simulators. A greater challenge is to link real and virtual systems in different locations, so that they can interact simultaneously in the same synthetic environment. DSTO has demonstrated that pilots, radar operators, fighter controllers and command staff at different locations across Australia can be trained simultaneously within the same synthetic environment. This provides cost-effective training for a wide range of personnel. A similar virtual training environment is being developed for the Navy.
4. Analysis and planning
Modern military forces use simulation technology to analyse their current capabilities and to plan for the future. They use simulations to model potential scenarios that the defence force might have to face, enabling senior commanders to assess the force's capability to meet its objectives. Possible changes are then incorporated into the model to see how they affect the outcome of the simulation. With this information, commanders can identify weaknesses in their force and determine what new technologies and equipment, or changes in strategy and tactics, are necessary to address that weakness.
New military technologies can also be evaluated and improved this way. For example, DSTO has developed two virtual submarines to test and improve the advanced technology installed in real submarines, such as combat and sonar processing systems.
Related sites
Permanent 'dry-dock' for DSTO's Virtual Ship (Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Australia) Military applications of virtual reality (Human Interface Technology Laboratory, USA)
Page updated July 2002.