U.S. Department of Defense Announces Latest Contract Awards

Even in a tight economic climate like the one we're in now, the military continues to invest millions of dollars in training simulation technology. The reason? Training simulators work. The ROI that training simulators deliver is tangible: fewer resources are used, fewer engine-use hours are logged on real-world equipment, trainees are kept out of harms way, and operators can practice difficult maneuvers repeatedly until they are fully mastered.

The U.S. Department of Defense released a list today of their latest contract awards. Two projects of interest on the list are the following 2 training simulator projects, with budgets totaling more than $21 million to be spent by the end of the fiscal year.

1. VSD, LLC, a Virginia Beach, VA based company was awarded a $15 million undefinitized contract to develop four offshore support vessel training simulators to be used by Iraqi Naval Forces. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in Orlando, Fla., is the contracting agency. The simulators are scheduled to be completed in October 2011.
2. Cubic Applications, Inc., a Lacey, Washington based company was awarded a $6.7 million firm-fixed-price contract to develop a virtual constructive & gaming-integrated training environment in support of Army training strategies for the U.S. Army National Simulation Center. The Mission & Installation Contracting Command in Fort Eustis, Virginia is the contracting agency. The simulators are scheduled to be completed in August 2011.

U.S. Department of Defense Contract List, September 29, 2010

VSTEP Releases RescueSim Platform

The thing to note about this product is that it is not simply a one-off simulation, but is instead a fully-featured toolkit to construct a variety of unique simulation scenarios (within the limits of the building blocks that are provided).

From http://www.rescuesim.com/:

RescueSim is training software that prepares public safety and security professionals for real-life incidents in a virtual environment.

RescueSim allows emergency crews to experience the incident as they would in real-life. They assess the situation and determine the best response strategy, implement it and then observe the consequences of their decisions.

RescueSim offers important benefits:

• Train people whenever, wherever without time-consuming planning and preparation
• Improve operational preparedness of the emergency response organisation
• Reduce training costs
• Learn new skills in a safe environment

All we want for Christmas is a VisCube Immersive 3D Display

The VisCube multi-screen 3D display provides users with a cave-like immersive virtual reality experience. Equipped with a Wii-like motion-tracking wand, users can interact with the simulation that surrounds them.

VisCube Enables Surgeons to Practice Procedures Virtually


The University of Alabama, Birmingham has acquired a VisCube and plans to use it to allow surgeon trainees to practice complicated operations on virtual patients before they ever step into an operating room. The mechanical engineering department plans to write VisCube simulations for dentistry, physical therapy and engi­neering.

BCIT Launches The CUBE

British Columbia Institute of Technology Launches The CUBE: Centre for the use of 3D simulation technology, taking teaching and learning to a new level.

With a US$1 million grant from Lockheed Martin and $380,000 in software contributions from NGRAIN Corporation, BCIT has launched The Cube.




BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 11/02/09 -- It will transform the way instructors teach and the way students learn at BCIT. It will bring the workplace into the classroom and enrich curriculum - virtually.

The CUBE initiative places 3D simulations of expensive, rare, and leading edge equipment into the hands of BCIT students, anytime, anywhere allowing learners to explore complex components and systems in a 3D virtual world before they touch the real thing.

Read the entire press release

Game of the Show: Virtual Battlespace 2

Although it was first released in 2007, Virtual Battlespace 2 by Bohemia Interactive seems to be the gold standard for virtual training simulations. This is the project that is referenced most consistently across the various sessions at the I/ITSEC conference.

The nice thing about this clip is that the specific simulation features are named as you go through the video.

Given this is for the military, there's a lot of shooting going on in this clip, but there's also a good deal of general features that you'd want to see in any simulation creation engine.

IITSEC Training Simulation Conference - Day 0

A pre-conference pre-crowd shot from the Orlando IITSEC 2009 conference on training simulations.

The IITSEC 2009 schwag. Note the all-important Rockwell-Collins sponsored anti H1N1 hand sanitizer.

I/ITSEC Conference on Training Simulations

If you're able, be sure to check out the I/ITSEC conference on training simulations. This is the largest conference that focuses exclusively on simulations and training. The show includes panels and tutorials and is relevant for both purchasers and developers of simulators and simulation technology.

If you can't make I/ITSEC, there's also the Serious Games Summit at the Game Developers conferences in San Franciso starting March 9th, 2010.