Engineers at the Advanced Data, Prototyping, Technologies and Virtual Environments (ADAPT.VE) Lab at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Philadelphia are seeking ways to improve the efficiency of their in-service engineers and the maintenance of their ships. Many of the in-service engineers enter the ships for the first time and are unfamiliar with the location of equipment and lack the maintenance history or repair information when they get to the equipment. This can translate into hours of manpower downtime and wasted expense. To overcome these inefficiencies, Powers Media partnered with INSto establish a wayfinding system on a ship that allows for the precise location of equipment, and the retrieval of maintenance data on the spot via location-based AR content.

Air Force data center technicians in the 338thTraining Squadron (Keesler AFB) are responsible for ensuring that worldwide computer and communications networks, including those in overseas and deployed locations, are integrated and functioning optimally. Current training takes the form of lectures and lab exercises. A skills gap is evident as trainees move from computer simulations to actual equipment. Powers Media’s virtual reality solution Network Training Next will bridge this skills gap and streamline the training of cyber transport students.

WHRO is the Norfolk PBS affiliate. Norfolk has a significant issue with sea level rise. The project consisted of using virtualrealitytoimmerse users in a warming climate experiencewith rising seas, bringing sea level rise to life. This visualization of climate change will positively impact public engagement by making the risks of sea level rise more immediate and urgent.The virtual realityexperience will educate users on the reality of rising seas at four distinct points in the Hampton Roads area within 30 miles of downtown Norfolk. The fully immersive experience will be based on realism, immediacy, personal relevance, human experience, and will illustrate the consequences of action/inaction.

We created 10+ virtual reality experiences for the US Postal Service. The USPS VR projectsdemonstrateda new approach to using emerging technology, specifically virtual reality,to engage new audiences when marketing USPS collateral at stamp marketing events. The goal of the project was to explore the potential of building a marketable platform for USPS to create meaningful content with the propensity for high level engagement. The projects also served to position the USPS as being early adopters of new technologies.

VR Training designed and built an advanced virtual reality midair refueling simulator for AFGSC and STRIKEWERX, the command’s innovation hub.

The project was the culmination of a year’s worth of market research by STRIKEWERX to source the best solutions from industry, academia and others to improve how B-52 pilots learn mid-air refueling.

“These simulators go beyond what other Air Force AR/VR simulators can do in terms of flight realism and training efficiency,” said Dr. Donna Senft, AFGSC chief scientist. “This solution will result in reduced maintenance costs, no training delays, and improved pilot proficiency and readiness.”

“It’s not every day you get the opportunity to showcase your work to your end user and directly incorporate their feedback into your design,” Neil Levin, founder of VR Training, said. “We started this STRIKEWERX Challenge process more than a year ago and it’s incredibly rewarding to see Global Strike pilots physically utilizing the fruits of our labor.”