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State-of-the-Art Augmented Reality Training System for Close-Quarters Combat

Sandia National Laboratories has developed a state-of-the-art augmented reality (AR) training system for close-quarters combat (CQB). This system uses Boston Dynamics' DI-Guy, a wearable augmented reality system to place the user in a real environment while engaging enemy combatants in virtual space. Umbra modeling and simulation environment is used to integrate and control the AR system. The Impulse tracking system from PhaseSpace Inc. uses a set of linear optical sensors to track LEDs that are mounted to the helmet and weapon to achieve excellent accuracy and update rates. Users see the room in which they currently exist, but with other elements augmented into their reality. The system also enables other non-CQB activities, including training with real and virtual equipment as well as walking through environments, terrains, and buildings.

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    Transcript

    00:00:22 outside the doorway stacking up amps adrenaline inside highly armed and armored bad guys defenseless civilians or nothing at all in close quarters battle cqb each team member has a specific responsibility that ensures the safety of the entire unit success of cqb depends on an extraordinary level of trust teamwork

    00:00:59 and training training training and more training classroom training marksmanship training team training training so thorough and so rigorous it produces a response force that moves together like a finely tuned machine capable of making split-second decisions with deadly accuracy the shoot house is where all the training and tactics and movement come

    00:01:30 together in cqb exercises in the shoot house a protective force team learns teamwork skills that will save their lives keep the stack tight hesitation in the fatal funnel or doorway entrance to the room can be a deadly error they run their walls

    00:01:50 move to their points of domination in the shoot house you find out how well the trainees covered their assigned areas of the room and how well they operate as a team you find out if the unarmed civilian who pops up from a barricade with his hands in the air causes anyone to panic and shoot there are a number of options for

    00:02:12 conducting situational training exercises with a high degree of realism die marking cartridges or simunition are an option so are laser-based systems such as miles ess and 2d projection trainers such as fats and cubic however one virtual training option provides both highly realistic tactical

    00:02:35 team training and an after action review capability rewind and replay sandia national laboratory's augmented reality training system employs the same advanced motion capture technology used by the entertainment industry combined with sophisticated software and video

    00:02:56 the system creates a highly realistic shoot house environment complete with virtual bad guys here's how it works a precision 3d motion capture system from faze space inc tracks special leds that are mounted on the helmets and m4 training weapons the helmet is equipped with a video camera and a head

    00:03:16 mounted display both of which are connected to a backpack containing a laptop computer the 3d motion capture system enables the computer to overlay virtual people and objects onto the live video that's presented to the trainee and to calculate whether a shot from their weapon hit or miss the bad guys

    00:03:38 the system currently supports up to six simultaneous trainees multi-view high-resolution linear camera arrays operating at a blazing fast frame rate of 480 hertz not only capture every move they display the scenes on a head-mounted display attached to the helmets when trainees pull down the visor

    00:04:00 they see a shoot house or other urban terrain scene superimposed on top of the bare room with astonishing realism all trainees see the same scene share the same reality and they engage enemy combatants in virtual space bad guys or unarmed civilians can come from around corners or pop

    00:04:22 up from behind obstacles when a trainee shoots and a bad guy falls all trainees witness it if a bad guy or even friendly fire takes out a blue team member the person hit sees a red flash while the situational exercises force trainees to think and act under the pressure of rapidly

    00:04:45 unfolding events an after-action review that actually shows them how they performed will increase their tactical proficiency besides helping make trainees mission ready the augmented reality training system has other advantages over the life of the system ar training will be less costly in terms of dollars manpower and

    00:05:07 ammunition necessary to train for cqb also it can be installed in areas that are not suitable for live fire training and more bang for the buck makes more frequent training possible and frequent training provides the stress inoculation that results in thinking clearly and quickly and moving precisely under pressure

    00:05:30 in addition the system can be set up in secure or sensitive facilities where weapons with simunition are not allowed sandia's augmented reality training system can be adapted to law enforcement swat training and first responders but it can also benefit other applications such as surgical techniques

    00:05:52 collaborative engineering project planning and even games in real life close quarters battle there's no rewind no do-over but with extensive training in augmented reality there is the opportunity to watch the rewind and go back in and do it over right successful training in stressful

    00:06:18 situations conditions trainees to internalize the move communicate shoot skills they will need for mission success and surviving hostile engagements oh coming out