Beyond the Eye Candy

Make no mistake, the very broad visual market – from domes to IGs to projectors, headsets and much more – has a huge presence at this I/ITSEC. Yet, a walkabout of the conference floor and engagement with community members reveals developments and trends well beyond this simulation and training sector.

S&T sector companies continue to evolve artificial intelligence for training purposes. As a lead-in to discussions about AI at this conference, Rep. Jack Bergman scratched the surface on this technology enabler when he offered, during the Day 1 Congressional M&S Caucus that AI developers and end-users should embrace ethics and like parameters on their development paths.

SoarTech is one exhibitor expanding the AI technology envelope in many other ways. Dr, Daniel Barber, Lead Scientist at the company, called attention to SoarTech’s AITeamMATE AI platform that models human behavior to create non-player characters in simulations and game environments. Also, SoarTech’s TrustMATE is a complete human-AI trust calibration solution that mitigates over-reliance or under-reliance on AI. The AI for training technology baseline will continue to dramatically expand and mature, as SoarTech and other companies complete R&D projects for DARPA and other US DoD organizations.

MS&T had the opportunity to meet a number of individuals new to the S&T sector. One individual was Susan Lowen, new Safety Training Systems (STS) President and CEO, who is guiding the completion of the company’s third USAF KC-46 Maintenance Training Device contract.

Chris Ryan, Managing Director of Ryan Aerospace Simulation and Training reported his Australia-based company is working through minor price increases and shipping disruptions, and other Covid-era supply chain annoyances to meet his customers’ requirements. Indeed, Ryan reported the recent completion of his company’s 300th simulator. Among the near-future deliveries is a device to support the Singapore Air Force’s CH-47 Chinook fleet.

Modest Tree continues to expand its product portfolio well beyond defense – another trend increasingly noted at this I/ITSEC. Jenna Tuck, Executive Vice President for Global Business Development, and Brandon Green, Account Executive, demonstrated an A320 Ground Run Procedures training scenario. They noted the Halifax, Nova Scotia-based company is also on the cusp of developing a technology-enabled training product for a major auto company – for starters.

Bjorn Moller, President of BAE Systems-owned Pitch Technologies, told MS&T that his Sweden-based company will provide significant support for NATO’s 2022 Viking multi-national exercise. The executive will provide additional details of this planned support to later this month, and in turn, reported in MS&T’s defence section.