Virtual simulators provide realistic training

Published March 21, 2013
By Pascual Flores
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Army Support Activity-Dix now provides virtual reality technology to support Soldiers' individual and collective training available in the 3500 area here.

The Dismounted Soldier Training System allows squad-level training without the need to enter a field environment, and mitigating risk, while saving time and transportation resources.

The DSTS is the first fully-immersive virtual simulation training system that places the user in a virtual environment, complete with enemy forces and environmental obstacles.

"The Dismounted Soldier Training System is an individualized virtual reality type of simulator," said David Cherouny, systems technician with Intelligent Decision, a Department of Defense contracted training entity. "We can immerse the Soldier into a realistic environment, hit him with realistic situations where he is going to have to make decisions and react accordingly."

Each DSTS includes the following major subsystems: nine Virtual Soldier manned modules, five multifunctional workstations, an exercise control workstation and an after-action review station. The subsystems are contained within an approximate 1,600-square-foot training facility.

The difference between the DSTS and other training simulation systems is it allows participants to wear the simulator as opposed to sitting in it.
Soldiers are issued an individual man-wearable, immersive training system and instrumented weapon which enables them to see and hear the virtual environment and also communicate with members of their squad, platoon or company.

Users perform complex maneuvers with specific body motion, such as leaning around or under an obstacle by physically mimicking those actions or to communicate with others from the prone, standing or kneeling position. Motion tracking captures the Soldier's movement and translates it to control the avatar within the simulation.

The DSTS is an out-of-the-box-ready system with a flexible, transportable design that can be set up in a fixed or mobile facility within four hours. It uses a hardened, dual-purpose shipping case that functions as operational equipment desks and cabinets.

The DSTS is divided into five distinct work areas the first of which is the Soldier-simulated training area, a 10-by-10 foot area with a manned module pad that provides feedback for the Soldier to safely move in his or her space.

The exercise control workstation, the brains behind the system, allows the trainer to create, modify and execute training exercises and controls for each person participating in the training.

The Virtual Soldier Multifunction Workstations allow additional virtual Soldiers, vehicles, neutral or opposing forces to participate in the training and is controlled via keyboard and mouse.

The Semi-Automated Forces Workstation gives the trainer the option to create additional static items like furniture and buildings or animated items such as dogs and birds inside the virtual world. Trainers can modify the scenario by adding an improvised explosive device, more vehicles or combatants.

The fifth workstation gives the ability to record Soldier, team and squad actions during training. A tool for after-action reviews and the ability to rapidly reset the training event allows for more repetitions, enhancing trainee and leader development at the squad level.

"The best part of the system is (how) the users learn response (actions), learn to shoot, move and communicate and learn to react to the different situations depending on the units' training objective," said Cherouny. "To date, we've trained approximately 60 Soldiers through the DSTS."

The Virtual Soldier Manned Module Subsystem consists of: a helmet mounted display that includes an integrated head tracker; noise cancellation stereo headphones and microphone for voice and radio communications; a man-wearable assembly; a computer backpack for processing and display of the 3-D virtual environment with the head mounted display; a human-sensor network for tracking body positions; and instrumented simulated weapons with optic, sights and scopes and Haptic feedback pad.

"As far as simulations go, it may not be as complicated as some, but it is certainly among the most-sophisticated simulation system available on the market today," said Cherrouny.

The DSTS is capable of providing mountainous, wooded and desert terrain features and is able to create other operational environments as requested.

"Using the DSTS provides significant savings when you take into account there is no cost on ammunition, or the need for ranges and additional equipment," said Bob Stodnick, Training Support Center officer, Army Support Activity-Dix. "The system is safe not only for the Soldiers but also the environment."

Training on all simulators and simulations is open to all military branches and can be scheduled through ASA-Dix Training Management Division. Call 562-2001 for more information.