Eidetics Delivers Virtual Reality Air Combat Simulator to the Air Force Research Lab, Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH

April 1997 - Eidetics Corporation delivered a state-of-the-art Virtual Reality Air Combat Simulator, called ViRACS, to the Air Force Research Lab at Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH. This system is the conclusion of a Small Business Innovation Research Phase I and Phase II program sponsored by the Air Force's Air Systems Command/XRESM organization.

The principle objective of the program was to design, develop and deliver a state-of-the-art virtual reality based air combat simulation facility. The new ViRACS facility is integrated with Boeing's Man in the Loop Air to Air System Performance Evaluation Model II, called MIL-AASPEM II. ViRACS allows the laboratory to conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, to evaluate new aircraft and weapons technologies, and to evaluate new virtual reality technologies using the accepted models contained within MIL-AASPEM II.

The Virtual Reality Air Combat Simulator utilizes an n-Vision DataVisor 80 head mounted display and a Silicon Graphics InfiniteReality Image Generator. The DataVisor 80 provides a full color, high resolution 1280 x 1024 pixels, wide field-of-view 120 x 60 degrees, stereo display to the pilot. A partially immersive environment has been selected where the pilot is able to utilize glass cockpit gages that project through a computer generated cockpit mask in the HMD. The mask position is updated with head position as measured by a magnetic head tracking unit. ViRACS also includes a full sized, fiberglass cockpit shell with a high fidelity, hands on stick and throttle control set and glass cockpit instrumentation. This system also has a sound system and a HMD repeater monitor.