Realistic Extended Reality (XR): A Mission Essential for Military Simulation Training

November 11, 2022

By Henry Orejuela, Former Sales Director, XCOM Labs

You knew it was coming. You just received orders to deploy – in 30 days. You begin the process of getting your personal affairs and pre-deployment requirements in order – packing out your apartment and putting your household goods in storage; taking one more trip home to visit your parents and to drop off your dog; scheduling your required pre-deployment medical health readiness exams to confirm you’re fit for duty; notifying the bank that you’ll be out of country and, of course, ensuring your last will and testament is current and in the hands of an entrusted buddy. Now one week out, you’ve packed your seabag with all required uniforms and gear, including a six-month supply of your favorite coffee and protein powder. Your mom sent a care package with your favorite cookies and some pictures of your dog, which will be displayed next to your rack in your berthing.

As you hike up the brow of the ship, your thoughts run wild. Am I ready? Is my team ready? Have we wargamed every feasible situation we might encounter? And then, images come to mind of your VIREWIRX (formerly XCOM Labs) simulation training, and your heartbeat regulates.

I’m ready. We’re ready.

This is why we’re so passionate about engineering realistic extended reality training and simulation at VIREWIRX. We want to serve those who serve us by developing the most realistic simulations for training possible. Our “keep inventing” mantra reminds us that there’s still much to be done to improve simulations for warfighters. We’re proud of the undiscovered paths we’ve forged in such a short time. We believe that going wireless will have an exponential impact by allowing users to move freely and naturally without being inhibited by extra equipment, wires, or backpacks tethered to them is the future. That’s why we believe the best way to predict the future is to invent it.
VIREWIRX’s Wireless XR technology streams XR content from the edge compute servers to the head-mounted display (HMD) using a high throughput, low latency wireless network. Wireless XR uses millimeter wave (mmW) technology to transfer data much faster and optimizes the network to ensure no lag or latency as users move through the area. VIREWIRX Wireless XR moves the heavy processing loads from the XR headset to the network or edge computer. By mitigating delays and latency, we’ve made the experience much closer to reality. Lastly, our open architecture and standards-based approach means our Wireless XR system is accessible and flexible. It can work with a wide variety of mixed reality and virtual reality headset makes and models and various server technology brands.

Our amazing VIREWIRX team understands that great technology is what enables great multi-sensory platforms and must align tightly with warfighters’ needs, incorporating meaningful details that take into consideration users’ sense of sight, audio and touch.

Using simulated training in the XR realm serves numerous benefits to our military heroes:
• Simulation training builds competence and confidence for those going into harm’s way. Training becomes second nature and instinctual, which can make all the difference in theater.
• Simulation training is cost effective. For example, simulating a convoy or a foot patrol in a multi-user XR simulation allows the military to develop a digital combat zone versus having to build actual infrastructure. This allows scenarios to adapt and evolve as the combat zone does for more relevant training environments. Lastly, it eliminates the cost associated with a resource intensive brick-and-mortar training environment. Whether it’s learning to pilot an aircraft or navigate a warship, operators can safely learn from mistakes without fear of loss of life or damage to multi-million-dollar equipment.
• Virtual environments are also better for the environment, sparing excess fumes from entering the environment.

Are you ready to see for yourself? We want to know about the types of training gaps that exist in your community so we can develop solutions to address them. Stop by the VIREWIRX booth #365 at I/ITSEC 2022 from Nov. 28 – Dec. 2. Walk ups welcome, no appointment is needed.