The British Army has awarded a contract to Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) to demonstrate the art of using virtual reality, machine learning and cloud computing for the Army’s Collective Training Transformation Programme (CTTP). The pilot programme has been made available through the Defence Innovation Fund, MOD investment into innovation. BISim will work under the VR In-Land Training (VRLT) Pilot Programme, a British Army CTTP initiative charged with exploring the use of VR for collective land warfare training and identifying the potential benefits and effectiveness of VR for military training and simulation. The VRLT Programme will help make recommendations on the impact, affordability, innovation and exploitation of VR for U.K. defence training. BISim will help deliver a series of training events for the pilot programme demonstrating VR and MR (mixed reality) capabilities using BISim products. The training events will use VBS3, BISim’s flagship desktop training software; VBS Blue IG, the company’s high-performance whole-earth image generation software; and VBS STE, a prototype whole-earth desktop trainer that combines the power of the VBS3 simulation engine with high-fidelity VBS Blue IG visuals. BISim has subcontracted Cervus Defence and Security Ltd, a U.K. company with expertise in capturing and leveraging defence training data, to [...]

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. - Safety is often measured by a lack of bad things happening, but at the U.S. Army Materiel Command, Soldiers and civilians are being recognized for their contributions to being proactive in preventing accidents. For William Zaharis, Safety Director, Army Materiel Command, the Safety Awards are a way to recognize the workforce for acts that may otherwise go unnoticed. "What really gets safety done is the interface between Soldiers and commanders to make sure they are doing things by the book," said Zaharis. "The Army Materiel Command Safety Awards help bring their contributions to light." Limiting accidents and performing day-to-day tasks in a safe way contributes to overall readiness. Adam Crafard, the safety director at Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, said submitting his organization for these awards acts as a self-check. "I look at this as an award that captures what we have been doing as a command over the last few years," said Crafard. "We have brought everybody together to work toward a common goal." Winning awards like this shows the workforce is taking on safety as a priority, Crafard said. "It tells me safety is important to the command, and more importantly, to the workforce," [...]

Operative Experience Inc. (OEI) announced the launch of TCCS Plus, a military-grade, high-fidelity simulator designed to provide hyper-real, clinically-responsive trauma training for combat medics on the battlefield as well as civilian first responders in active shooter and other mass casualty scenarios. The simulator provides training for forward deployed medical personnel encountering casualties in austere environments that require prolonged medical care while awaiting evacuation. Its clinical capabilities are designed to conform to the Joint Trauma System (JTS) Center of Excellence and Deployment Medicine training standards, including hemorrhage control, advanced airway management, closed head trauma identification, cardiac compromise, advanced respiratory disorders, intravenous cannulation and advanced monitoring. TCCS Plus is a ruggedized full body, wireless and tetherless, fully articulated simulator featuring on-the-fly tablet control, pre-programmed clinical scenarios and more than 14 hours of continuous battery powered run time in indoor and outdoor environments. It is also available in five wound pattern configurations that simulate traumatic injuries from IED explosions, blunt trauma and gunshot wounds. It will be introduced at the International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) in San Antonio, Texas, the industry’s leading conference for the latest innovations and best practices in healthcare simulation.