The ACE Training Centre, part of Toll Group Government and Defence, and UNSW are developing an advanced mixed reality helmet-based training system, funded by the Defence’s Trailblazer’s Accelerating Sovereign Industrial Capabilities (ASIC) program. The project aims to provide cost-effective and scalable immersive training solutions for both individuals and teams within the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Current 3D virtual training systems are costly, with long lead times for development or modification. Existing virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (XR) headset-based training systems cannot be integrated with standard issue helmets or other headwear, and they lack realistic communications and night vision capabilities.
This project aims to develop a system that can be attached to any operational helmet, leading to an easily implemented, yet comprehensive, training capability that can be broadly utilised by the ADF. Equipped with robust communication capabilities and a night vision imaging system, it will enable any ADF helmet to be the basis for training individuals and teams using a relatively low cost virtual and mixed simulation system.
The project will also investigate applications for civilian training systems, which include aviation, warehousing, mining and construction.
Rolf Petersen (Specials Projects Training and Systems, the ACE Training Centre, Toll Group) and the Hon. Ryan Park MP, NSW Minister for Health.
“By developing a system that can be attached to any operational helmet and leveraging commercial off-the-shelf XR technology, the project will lead to an easily implemented, yet comprehensive, training capability that can be broadly utilised by the ADF,” said Perry Singh, President of Toll Government and Defence.
The project chief investigator, Professor John McGhee, leads the UNSW 3DXLab with expertise in numerous VR and XR platforms and technologies. The ACE Training Centre and UNSW have an established partnership, through which they have developed Mixed Augmented Virtual Reality (MAV) software tools.
“We will focus on expanding the system’s capabilities, including integrating existing training systems and databases,” said Professor McGhee. “Concurrently, we will design and develop synthetic XR 3D virtual models for diverse training scenarios and produce a prototype system.”
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