TJ -Published Thursday April 9th, 2009

Innovation National Research Council helping advance training program at CFB Gagetown

FREDERICTON - With one of the largest military bases in North America and a flourishing information technology sector, New Brunswick is poised to become a leader of cutting-edge combat training.

Capt. Jeremy MacDonald/Canadian Forces

Capt. Jeremy MacDonald/Canadian Forces

The Immersive Reflexive Engagement Trainer, developed at CFB Gagetown about a year ago, creates a two-way bridge between the real world and the virtual world.

Today, a joint announcement between CFB Gagetown and the National Research Council of Canada could propel the province to the forefront of simulated military training technologies.

The Telegraph-Journal has learned that the collaboration will benefit the Army Learning Support Centre, part of the CFB Gagetown Combat Training Centre, which uses simulation and video gaming technology to enhance military training.

It is expected the support from the NRC, which will be revealed in detail during a press conference this morning, will help advance the simulated training program at CFB Gagetown as well as the knowledge economy in New Brunswick.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Minister Keith Ashfield will make the announcement at the NRC Institute for Information Technology in Fredericton, which is based at the University of New Brunswick.

As a province with a military base, several universities and private sector leaders in the information and communications technology field, support from the NRC will help position New Brunswick as a leader in advanced technologies.

The NRC is expected to bring three types of technology to the table to help develop an advanced training system at CFB Gagetown: sound and speech recognition, laser tracking and augmented reality.

The institute conducts scientific research, including a program focused on 3D imaging, modeling and visualization. The 3D imaging techniques can add virtual representations of the real world into new emerging media for simulation, training, and industrial applications.

The collaboration between the NRC and CFB Gagetown is expected to lead to the next-generation of serious games and training simulators for armies as well as police and security forces.

These organizations have traditionally relied upon training facilities like shoot houses, which use simple paper targets. However, the Army Learning Support Centre is creating a 3D simulated trainer that can react to motions and actions in a realistic fashion, giving soldiers a more engaging and useful training experience.

The Immersive Reflexive Engagement Trainer, developed at CFB Gagetown about a year ago, creates a two-way bridge between the real world and the virtual world.

The system uses three projectors to create a 270-degree visual environment.

As soldiers enter the simulator, they see life-size images that use the latest generation of video game graphics.

The graphics are accompanied by an audio system that can not only replicate battlefield sounds but also recognize what soldiers are saying.

If a soldier in the simulator orders an enemy to lay down their weapon and surrender, the system will hear and decide if the insurgent will comply.

If soldiers make too much noise before storming the room, the enemy will hear them and will be ready.

The soldiers' rifles, either modified from real ones or specially-built mock- ups, use C02 cartridges to mimic the effect of firing a real bullet.