ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 28, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Virtual Heroes Division of Applied Research Associates will demo their latest 3D virtual world software at the 2016 Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) . I/ITSEC will be held November 28 – December 1, 2016 at the Orange County Convention Center. Virtual Heroes has been expanding the functionality of gaming engine technology for over a decade. Conference-goers can preview Virtual Heroes' latest Unreal Engine 4 (UE4)-based technologies in booth 2641: • Whole World Viewer The Whole World Viewer (WWV) is a whole-earth geo-specific modeling capability that enables real-time, dynamic updates. With WWV, Virtual Heroes has upgraded UE4 to handle planet-sized levels of detail, zooming from orbit to the Earth's surface. WWV enables users to orbit a globe, choose a location from space, and move at any speed along any path to that position on the ground, defined by geo-specific datasets dynamically updated in real-time. The viewer leverages the Assimilation of Sources for a Cohesive ENvironment Description (ASCEND), which provides WWV with dynamic, geo-specific updates to the world based on the latest geospatial data. ASCEND and WWV enable training at the point of need and distributed world-building services in the cloud in support of the Synthetic Training Environment and One World Terrain. (See the Army Research Laboratory's booth 315 for a demo of ASCEND.) • Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) Studio UE4 Studio is a high-fidelity real-time world editing/viewer interface available exclusively through Virtual Heroes. The package provides features such as real-time modification of time-of-day effects; dynamic virtual object library injects; reading/writing of terrain datasets; calling out of weather effects such as dust storms, rain, and snow; in-world annotation/markup for future reviews; and placeable, drivable vehicles with physics. • Virtual Burn Patient Mobile Application Virtual Burn Patient is a mobile application prototyped on Android and iOS tablet platforms that enables users to navigate a virtual hospital environment and burn ward. This interactive application demonstrates the levels of real-time 3D virtual fidelity possible on tablet platforms for training and education. Two of Virtual Heroes' serious games are finalists in the Serious Games Showcase and Challenge and can be played in SGS &C booth 2781: • FRS Virtual Team Virtual Heroes developed the Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery (FRS) Virtual Team trainer for the Florida Hospitals Nicholson Center. The FRS Trainer trains effective communication between surgeons and their team. Computer-assisted surgery can enable greater accuracy, smoother, more precise motions, less tissue trauma, and speedier healing. Because the surgeon is removed from the team, communication skills are critical for patient safety. • PAR Virtual Training Module Virtual Heroes developed the Post Attack Reconnaissance (PAR) Virtual Training Module, a 3D immersive trainer that simulates conventional and chemical attacks. Users reconnoiter an air base, practicing preparation and recovery steps by locating, identifying, and mitigating unexploded ordinances, contamination, facility damage, casualties and other potential hazards. The Virtual Heroes Division has won multiple awards for its simulations, serious games and 3D virtual worlds using game engine technology to provide interactive learning solutions for healthcare, government customers, and corporate training. The Orlando office of Virtual Heroes has been working with the Army community for over ten years, developing modeling and simulation for the defense industry. More information on Virtual Heroes can be found at http://www.virtualheroes.com and http://www.youtube.com/VirtualHeroes . About Applied Research Associates Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) was founded 1979, in Albuquerque, N.M., to solve problems of national importance by providing science and engineering research, technical support services. The company's applied research delivers scientific solutions for national defense, homeland security, aerospace, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. With 1,100 Employee Owners at locations in the U.S. and Canada, ARA offers a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil engineering, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, biomedical engineering, environmental technologies, and blast testing and measurement. For more information, please visit: http://www.virtualheroes.com and http://www.ara.com .
Randy Brown ARA VP, Virtual Heroes Division Manager 919-747-7603
