Marty Kauchak, Halldale Group Editor, and Rick Adams, MS&T Editor, conducted a wide-ranging interview with Sébastien Lozé, Industry Manager, Simulations at Epic Games. This is the second of three overviews on key themes from Unreal Engine's rapidly evolving and expanding ecosystem – this, on Turnkey Modeling and Simulation solutions.

Delegates at 2021 I/ITSEC are seeing many of the 30+ exhibitors on the conference floor demonstrating their latest simulation applications – all driven by Unreal Engine – as highlighted in the first part of this interview, Unreal Integration Made Easy for Simulation Content. 

Of the more than 30 conference exhibitors using Unreal Engine more than a dozen are building Modeling and Simulation turn key solutions available for end users today.

Lozé observed, “While game engines are powerful deployment platforms for many organizations, some end users want something that solves a need right out of the box. These simulation experts are doing just that for both training and analysis Unreal Engine based applications.”

2021 I/ITSEC Users for Turnkey Solutions

We identified a dozen of different simulators using Unreal Engine at their core solving today’s use cases and training challenges.

CAE (Booth 1734) To ensure that critical training is as effective as possible, the visual immersion must be as realistic as it can be. CAE continues to lead innovation in immersive training through stunningly realistic graphics provided by the CAE Prodigy Image Generator (IG). Prodigy delivers extraordinarily true-to-life visuals for the ultimate in training fidelity. The CAE Prodigy IG, with Unreal Engine at its core, provides high-fidelity graphics and physics-based simulation. Building on the performance and features of CAE’s family of image generator solutions, the Prodigy IG is tailored for Defense and Security markets, providing industry-leading scene realism optimized for life-like simulation and training.

Sebastien Loze commented “As we look towards the next generation of immersive training environments, the simulation community now understands the R&D acceleration that Unreal Engine provides. CAE’s engagement in this strategic journey using Unreal Engine as the core component of the innovative Prodigy IG is paving way for the other simulation stakeholders who strive to reconcile real-time accuracy and photorealism.” https://www.cae.com/

A view from CAE Prodigy IG. Image credit: CAE.

CHIMERAXR (Booth 2326) ChimeraXR will be presenting the Project Mythos virtual reality training system for law enforcement and military firearms scenario training at I/ITSEC 2021. The infrastructure requirement? A flat, empty space and the Oculus Quest 2-based Ultra Portable Gunner trainer device. The system is scalable starting from 10x10 ft to unlimited size, including outdoor use in good weather conditions. It operates stand-alone but can be connected to the internet for networked sessions. The revolutionary Ghost Mode® teaching tool allows record-and-watch drills, slow-motion playback, bullet trajectory, and impact visualization. The system can accommodate up to 40 networked participants, including instructors and live-role players. Training costs are up to 10X lower than screen simulation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHP2WxWrSek

CS GROUP (Booth 2160) CS Group announces the upcoming integration of its VirtualGeo solution into Unreal Engine. With VirtualGeo in Unreal, you can easily import, visualize and analyze any 3D geospatial information to create real-time and accurate game-quality visuals for simulations. VirtualGeo is a professional planet viewer which supports many kinds of standard geospatial data format and protocols such as OGC CDB, OGC 3D Tiles, streaming protocol (WMS, WMTS, WFS), OpenFlight, and many others. https://www.csgroup.eu/en/offerings-solutions/simulation-training/

CUBIC (Booth 1948) Visit Cubic’s booth to see how their Total Learning Platform and game-based training solutions for the US Navy’s Surface Training Advanced Virtual Environment (STAVE) blend all forms of instruction into a seamless learning experience that enables the warfighter to acquire skills faster, enhance performance to achieve the highest levels of readiness and proficiency. Built on the Unreal Engine, these solutions continue to be successfully deployed throughout all phases of maritime training. https://www.cubic.com/solutions/training

The DEVCOM Cockpit Academics Procedural Tool is helping evaluate pilot workload in a digital glass cockpit platform. Image credit: DEVCOM

DEVCOM (Booth 329) The Cockpit Academics Procedural Tool - Enhanced with visuals and electric control loading system (CAPT-EVCS) uses the Army Aviation Avionics Procedural Software (AAPS) to provide UH-60M Black Hawk emulated software and hardware for academics and training. Its software is reused across a multitude of Army systems including STE CFT RVCT-A and Virtual Training Suite. The system uses the Army Game Studio Image Generator (AGS IG) powered by the Unreal Engine commercial game technology, is transportable and easily setup to support Army mobility and readiness and can be seen at booth 329.

FIGHT CLUB UK (Booth 2326) Wargaming experimentation group Fight Club International will demonstrate the use of two gaming technologies that leverage Unreal Engine. A first-of-its-kind demo will be the virtual reality prototype, Project Tyrion, created for the British Army. They plan to build out more scenarios on Unreal Engine to be used by special operations in the NATO alliance. Second, the Fight Club team will demonstrate SAF-TAC VR, a synthetic environment specifically designed for military simulation and training. Fight Club has completed testing alongside the Royal Air Force and the Royal Marines, hoping to build out the user base in the United States, The Netherlands, Italy, and other nations. Fight Club was featured earlier this year in MS&T magazine.
https://www.ukfightclub.co.uk/

HAVELSAN/QUANTUM3D (Booth 635) Quantum3D will be demonstrating the Virtual Reality Parachute Simulator, a highly efficient military-grade parachute training device for novices, as well as experienced paratroopers. The simulator allows parachute jumpers a safe and cost-effective way to experience real jumps and free fall. Quantum3D technology utilizes a combination of virtual reality, physics-based parachute dynamics, and realistic canopy controls to achieve the highest-fidelity training in the industry. The VR parachute simulator leverages Unreal Engine. https://www.havelsan.com.tr/en/sectors/training-and-simulation/training-services/training-services
https://quantum3d.com/

HTX LABS (Booth 1555) HTX Lab’s EMPACT® is an enterprise software solution that allows you to create, manage, and distribute immersive training content throughout your organization. An Epic Games MegaGrant recipient, HTX Labs built EMPACT on Unreal Engine and Microsoft’s Azure Government Cloud technology, designed to address the challenges experienced in bringing virtual reality and immersive technology to enterprise and government customers. HTX Labs has recent SBIR Phase II Contracts with the US Navy to support CNATRA Primary Flight Training Program and USAF Remotely Piloted Aircraft Aircrew Training. Unreal Engine-based content is being displayed in Dynepic’s booth (72) and Varjo Technologies’ booth (3010). https://www.htxlabs.com/

HAWK-i by L3Harris will be live on Vigilante booth.

L3HARRIS (Booth 1449) L3Harris and Vigilante have collaborated to create the next generation in VR workforce training. HAWK-I is an immersive vehicle safety inspection system. Vigilante built the ready-to-use immersive tool in Unreal Engine, which helps train inspectors and drivers to properly identify and report abnormal conditions and faults according to FMCSA commercial vehicle inspection regulations. (Demo on Vigilante booth 2326). https://www.l3harris.com/

Meta Immersive Synthetics builds industry-leading, realistic, immersive, and strikingly accurate digital recreations of aircraft, cockpits, vehicles, and other entities for simulation, analysis, training, and industrial design. Image credit: Meta Aero.

META AERO (Booth 1348) Meta Aerospace has long been in the business of building simulators, but Meta Immersive Synthetics (MIS) is developing an entirely new system - one that’s more flexible, scalable, and adaptable to future needs. MIS settled on Unreal Engine as the backbone of this new system, which provides the rendering capabilities of a game engine along with ease of use, programmable logic, and robust source code that can adapt to changing simulation needs. During the I/ITSEC 2021 conference, attendees will have the opportunity to try out the system in the Meta Immersive Synthetics booth, flying an F-16 through a Nevada landscape (with no prior training or experience with simulators required). Read more on Epic Games story about Meta Aero.
https://meta.aero/mis/

Image credit: Offworld Defence Simulations.

OFFWORLD (In Haptech Booth 2560 and UK Fight Club Booth 2326) Offworld Defence Simulations (ODS) will be providing a custom firing range environment in Unreal Engine 4 on Haptech’s state-of-the-art, fully lit LED wall, acting as a test customer for Haptech’s weapon and tracking technology. Also, Offworld will present on the UK Fight Club stand, showing their prototype VR framework demo for vehicle trainers, showing the levels of fidelity and interactivity that Unreal Engine 4 can easily support. The technology and code feed into the under-development ODS Bravo framework - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohdRSpESA9s.
https://offworldsim.com/

RED 6 (Booth 1922) Red 6 has developed the Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), a revolutionary approach to AR that enables it to work outdoors and, critically, in high-speed, dynamic environments. This technological breakthrough enables a new paradigm in air combat training, unleashing the full potential of Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) training by bringing the V and the C assets into the real world, facilitating within-visual-range maneuvering against synthetic threats. Red 6 is leveraging Unreal Engine at the core of their solution - beginning integration into a T-38 Talon, to be followed by a fourth-generation operational and training aircraft, such as the F-16. https://red6ar.com/

SIMCENTRIC (Booth 1365) SimCentric’s first training programs specialized in joint fires and close air support. But with Unreal Engine as a flexible base, they’ve expanded to areas of range safety, smart wearables, pattern-of-life analysis, artificial intelligence, and, most recently, virtual reality and immersive training. Several software products from SimCentric leveraging Unreal Engine will be showcased at I/ITSEC: SAF-JTAC, Mixed Reality JTAC Training, SAF-FIRES, and SAF-TAC products. 

MAK Fires provides realistic training for both Call for Fire (CFF) and Close Air Support (CAS) missions, inspired by MAK's own Bill Kamer, a retired Bradley Master Gunner, who saw the potential of using the MAK ONE environment to create an individual trainer for the home station. Image credit: VT MAK.

VT MAK (Booth 1413) Bradley Gunnery Experience - MAK Gunnery Experience is a tabletop gunnery system that enables users to try their hand at being a Bradley Master Gunner. The game contains three different levels and includes a leader scoreboard. Everyone is welcome to enter this challenge and to try their hand at being the top MG at I/ITSEC 2021. https://www.mak.com/

Growing the Unreal Engine Ecosystem

With Unreal Engine, as well as other tools such as MetaHuman Creator and RealityCapture, Epic Games is putting in place the right technology layers for all creators to build upon or to leverage at the core of their solutions.

As many of the content creation, tools and turnkey solutions assemble at I/ITSEC, a constellation of stakeholders in the simulation community is shaping up around the use of Epic’s engine. Epic Games Simulation Industry Manager points out that the development and the deployment potentials he observes are coming from the M&S community itself. “We are empowering the community, giving Unreal and simulation experts the tools to deliver their solutions more efficiently.” With this ecosystem in mind, Epic has built relationships with service providers that deliver expertise, support, training to help others get started on their projects, with companies like Agenium in France, Synergy in Israel, or CESI in the USA being among the very first. “During I/ITSEC, we are looking forward to engage with other future partners and to guide them to either grow their expertise on Unreal Engine or to accelerate the success of their business.”

These partners will be at I/ITSEC: book appointments to learn more about the services they can provide around your Unreal Engine developments.

AGENIUM
Agenium 3D Lab’s high-skilled team is appreciated by industrial as well as defense actors to deliver a high level of service and products. Downloaded in more than 20 countries, Agenium 3D Lab software is acknowledged by a wide professional community. Innovation, performance, and quality are the driving forces of the company. Thanks to its global approach, software developer and data producer Agenium 3D Lab is a key Unreal Engine partner that can take you to the next level of your challenges and projects.
https://agenium.com/en/#contact
https://agenium.com/en

CESI
CESI is at the forefront of providing simulation training systems, serious gaming, technical services, cyber solutions, and exercise support services. They fulfill the training needs of customers across multiple industries. CESI is proud to be named a Top 100 company in Orlando and a "Best Companies to Work for in Florida” awardee for 10 consecutive years. CESI has received special recognition for community engagement emphasizing veterans’ causes.
https://unreal.cesisupport.com/#contact
https://unreal.cesisupport.com/

SYNERGY
Synergy Integration Ltd has been leading the COTS products sales for the simulation market in Israel. For many years, Synergy has been delivering technology and knowledge in the Modeling and Simulation domain. They have vast experience in analysis and physics-based simulations, having gained expertise in laboratories, trainers, operational research, analysis, communication and space, command and control, and simulations for machine learning. Synergy serves as a knowledge hub in the simulation world—having developed tools based on well-adopted standards. Together, they can help you build solutions and deliver, with a more efficient ‘time to market’, costs, and risk reduction.
sales@synergy.co.il
https://synergy-simulation.com/

To follow:
Wednesday 1st December - Infrastructure / Deployment solutions for Unreal Engine presented at I/ITSEC 2021