technology Archives

Gaming Technology Replacing Army’s Simulators

May 2, 2018/in Military News

marksmanship-simulator-050411-A-YG824-013

Gaming Technology Replacing Army’s Stimulators
By Debbie Gregory.
The Synthetic Training Environment (STE) initiative is being hailed as the new and improved
way to train Army troops.
The technology relies on virtual reality to deliver state-of- the-art training that can simulate
different parts of the world and their unique terrains, as well as vehicle and arms training for all
Army component formations. A major goal of STE is overcoming the limitations of the previous
old-school simulator technologies.
To train the boots on the ground, who need to perform physical feats like running, climbing, and
diving for cover, augmented reality is a better option than virtual reality. The technology
superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world and allows soldiers
to still see the physical environment around them, but with the option to add obstacles.
The program is being run by Maj. Gen. Maria Gervais.
“We are creating promising technology, demonstrating it whenever possible, and finding what
works and doesn’t on a timeline that is very aggressive,” Gervais said. “We’ve seen great
progress on extremely impressive training technology, and we are working hard to put in the
hands of our Soldiers.”
One of the main outcomes of STE is the creation of scalable training scenarios that can be run
across and shared with all echelons. The Army is emphasizing the use of common software
protocols to ensure that all participating soldiers will have a common experience in a given
exercise, Gervais said.
With 57 terrain formats, the new simulators will use a single common standard, called One
World Terrain. The goal is to help establish a next-generation government/industry terrain
dataset for modeling and simulation hardware and software for training and operational use.
Through One World Terrain, geospatial data will be rapidly created, accurate, updatable and of
sufficient resolution to be delivered to meet the training needs of the Army.

CENTCOM Eyeing Technology for 3D Photos, Through Walls, Using Wi-fi

July 8, 2017/in Government

Wifi Hologram

By Debbie Gregory.

It’s easy to understand why CENTCOM or other government military and security agencies would want a technology that could not only photograph people through walls, but also do so in 3D.

It’s called Wi-Fi holography technology, and while it may take a number of years and millions of dollars to develop into a practical technology, it could prove to be invaluable in hostage situations, covert military operations, police stakeouts, etc. It also has humanitarian possibilities, such as helping rescue workers detect people in rubble left by an earthquake.

The theory is that if Wi-Fi can pass through walls, which we know it does, the same property would allow the taking of holograms, or 3D photographs, of objects inside a room from outside it.

“It can basically scan a room with someone’s Wi-Fi transmission,” Philipp Holl, a 23-year-old undergraduate physics student at the Technical University of Munich. He initially built the device as part of his bachelor thesis, with the help of his academic supervisor, Friedemann Reinhard.

The technology uses two antennas: one fixed in place and another that moves. The fixed antenna records a Wi-Fi field’s background, or reference, for the spot it’s placed in. The other antenna is moved by hand to record the same Wi-Fi field from many different points.

The signals from both antennas are simultaneously fed into a computer, and software builds many 2D images as one antenna is waved around and then stacks them together in a 3D hologram.

Although the technology is only in its prototype stage and has limited resolution, Holl is excited about its promise.

Holl said that he hasn’t yet “had any contact with someone from the U.S. Central Command.”

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Smarter Military Bases

March 16, 2017/in Archived Blogs

By Debbie Gregory.

Meeting the unknown challenges of the 21st century depends more on the creativity of those in uniform to see new connections and opportunities than it does on any killer app or new technology.

And this smart-city technology could be coming to a military base near you.

The use of artificial intelligence, analytics, automation and robotics could make military bases both safer and more efficient.

According to Ted Johnson, the Defense and National Security Research Manager at the Deloitte Center for Government Insights, he believes that the connectivity to these technologies will be an integral part of shaping out future world.

“Compare the way cities will look in the future — and are beginning to look today — to how military bases look now and have looked for the last 50 years,” Johnson said. “It’s obvious there are advantages to be realized in upgrading military bases with these new technologies. No matter what aspect of the base you’re looking at, there is a comparable smart technology and application of that technology in a city or university or an airport that allows for efficiencies to be realized and for upgrades to occur”.

While smart technologies are slowly being put to use on military bases, there are significant security, operational, and economic benefits yet to be realized. The smart military base is the key to tomorrow’s fighting force.

Smart energy initiatives are already being utilized.

For example, the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, in conjunction with Georgia Power, deploys solar panels that provides their own independent power source during emergencies.

There are also smart construction initiatives happening at an Air Force base in Colorado.

The slow roll-out is due to security concerns. When these technologies can increase security, streamline operations and deliver efficiencies, they will be more quickly adopted by military bases.

Supplemental funding coming from the Trump administration to the Pentagon, focusing on streamlining capabilities and realizing efficiencies, may provide the impetus to get the ball rolling across the board.

Johnson is a retired commander in the United States Navy where he primarily focused on cyber policy and signals intelligence.

Tell us what technologies you believe will make your base more efficient and safer.

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Best High Tech Jobs for Veterans

March 12, 2017/in Employment, Jobs, Military, Military Veteran, Veteran Employment

By Debbie Gregory.

High tech jobs for veterans are a natural transition, given their abilities to take initiative, problem-solve and make decisions, skills that they honed during their military service.

Those who have served are also well-versed in computers.

For employers, hiring military veterans makes perfect sense. If you’re wondering what some of the top high-tech jobs for veterans are:

Project Manager is probably the most natural transition point for most service members. They are in charge of the planning and execution of a particular project, and the foundational skills required are quite similar to what many learn in the military.
Solutions Architect is a great position for problem solvers. Solutions architects work with their company’s clients processing feedback on their company’s product, and providing solutions based on that feedback.
Software Development Manager is a managerial position, a good use of leadership skills. There are a number of responsibilities, but the primary ones are to get a product out the door or deliver results to the customer.
Data scientists are in demand, and the position entails knowing how analyze and interpret complex digital data, such as the usage statistics of a website, especially in order to assist a business in its decision-making.
Analytics Managers design, configure, and maintain a data analysis tool that allows them to analyze data and make conclusions about it.
Software Engineers apply the principles of software engineering to the design, development, maintenance, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that make computers or anything containing software work.
UX Designers enhance user satisfaction with a product by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in the interaction with the product.
Mobile Developers will work in the development of mobile applications.
QA Managers monitor software testing processes or test new products.

If you have a technical background, consider one of these great career paths.

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