Extended Reality (XR)
Virtual world for the optimization of military and civilian processes
Rheinmetall uses "Extended Reality" technologies, or XR for short, to optimise military and civilian processes. This refers to technologies that enable interactive experiences in a computer-generated environment. The various technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR), differ primarily in terms of the relationship between the real and virtual worlds. However, all forms are immersive technologies that make it possible to appeal to all human senses. The line between reality and simulation becomes blurred as users are completely immersed in another world.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Augmented Reality (AR)
Overlays your real world with digital information
Mixed Reality (MR)
Mixes digital content into your world
What are the areas of application for XR?
- Remote support and Real-time collaboration between experts and emergency services
- Tactical training to plan and visualize scenarios
- Data analysis and simulation to uncover correlations and patterns
- Investigations of ergonomic conditions
- Improvement of situational awareness for emergency services
- Maintenance, repair and servicing of complex equipment
- Design and prototyping of weapons and equipment systems
- Psychological training to preparation of emergency services for complex situations
What are the advantages of XR?
- Generates lower costs compared to implementation on the actual devices used
- Promotes faster implementation of ideas, which leads to an acceleration of processes and at the same time increases efficiency
- Creates the flexibility to try out and test different scenarios relatively inexpensively and test them before deploying them in the real world
- Allows global access to virtual experiences regardless of location
- Offers high adaptability to different circumstances
- Increases user satisfaction through simple and intuitive handling
Virtual reality for training purposes is an advanced technology that enables the creation of realistic virtual environments, providing an immersive training experience. With this VR solution, users can complete various training programs tailored specifically to their needs. From simulating hazardous work environments to training complex procedures, VR technology provides an effective and safe training experience.
Functions
- Realistic virtual environments: VR enables the creation of highly realistic environments that resemble real work or training environments.
- Interactive training scenarios: Users can interact in the virtual environments and perform realistic tasks.
- Real-time feedback and evaluation: VR technology provides real-time feedback on users’ actions and decisions.
- Risk-free training: VR technology allows users to simulate dangerous situations or risks without risking physical harm or injury.
- Repeatable training: VR allows users to repeat training sequences as often as possible to improve skills and consolidate knowledge.
Application areas
- Flight and driving simulation: e.g. pilot training, flight simulation, driver training, traffic safety, logistics and transport.
- Military and defense training: Tactics and combat simulation, team coordination and communication, mission and strategy planning.
- Emergency training: Crisis management and decision making, fire safety and evacuation, first aid and emergencies.
- Industrial training: Machine operation, maintenance and repair, hazard prevention and occupational safety, work procedures and processes.
- and much more
Extended Reality (XR)-Maintenance is an innovative solution that uses augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies to streamline maintenance processes and increase technician efficiency. Combining virtual information with the real environment enables accurate troubleshooting, enhanced training capabilities and seamless remote maintenance. XR technology enables maintenance teams to immerse themselves in virtual environments and display faithful replicas of physical assets. In these virtual environments, technicians can simulate realistic maintenance scenarios and gain hands-on experience without affecting the plant or using costly equipment.
Functions and advantages
- Enhanced visual representation: Overlay digital information on real objects to increase maintenance efficiency and accuracy.
- Remote maintenance: Real-time involvement of remote experts in maintenance processes through XR technologies to save travel time and costs.
- Training and onboarding: Virtual training in secure environments to quickly learn new equipment and procedures.
- Digital documentation: Capture photos, videos and notes in augmented reality to document maintenance activities.
- Data visualization and analysis: Display real-time data and analysis in XR environments to identify and resolve issues faster.
- Safety enhancements: Providing virtual alerts, hazardous location notices, and instructions for a safer work environment.
- Cost savings: Reduce maintenance costs by reducing downtime and improving productivity.
Application areas
- Industrial maintenance: Support for the maintenance of machinery, plant and industrial equipment.
- Plant maintenance: Efficient execution of inspections, maintenance work and repairs on complex plants.
- Facility management: Support in the maintenance and monitoring of building services and infrastructure.
- Vehicle maintenance: Support in the diagnosis, maintenance and repair of vehicles and fleet.
The advancing technology of Extended Reality not only has the potential to take us into fascinating virtual worlds, but also off ers innovative possibilities for application in ergonomic contexts. Ergonomics refers to the design of products, systems, etc. to optimize the interaction between people and their environment and improve health, safety and efficiency. Applying XR for ergonomic purposes opens up new ways to analyze workflows, optimize work environments, and test and adapt the ergonomics of products.
Advantages
- Realistic and immersive experience: Users can immerse themselves in a virtual environment that resembles real working and environmental conditions.
- Interactive manipulations: Users can grab, move and interact with virtual objects to test diff erent scenarios.
- Time and cost savings: Virtual simulation allows ergonomic testing to be performed earlier in the design process, reducing expensive physical prototypes and later adjustments.
- Repeatability: Testing can be done repeatedly and consistently to produce accurate and comparable results.
- Data collection and analysis: VR enables the collection of motion data and other relevant metrics to perform detailed analysis.
Application areas
- Workplace design: Evaluation of ergonomic conditions at workplaces, review of posture, position changes, accessibility of objects, etc.
- Product design: Evaluation of the usability of products, analysis of handling, identification of potential strains and fatigue phenomena.
- Vehicle design: Analysis of the usability of vehicles, placement of controls, assessment of visibility and ergonomics in the driver cockpit.
- and much more
DISI-Xtreme consistently combines special features for ground simulation, flight simulation, maritime simulation and procedure training. Whether breathtaking cloud formations, endless single tree forests and wheat fields or fully deterministically modeled 3D oceans including seamless subsurface transition – there are almost no limits.
Highlights
- Fully deterministic visual system for real-time generation on commodity hardware for ground, flight and ship simulations.
- High-end environmental simulation, e.g. physically based sky system with atmospheric scattering, astronomically accurate stars, correct time and geo-specific sun and moon.
- Also, dynamic 3D clouds, local weather areas, dynamic rain and snow including realistic snow cover, e.g., taking into account overhangs and bridges.
- A single database can support multiple sensors (instant switching between sensors in real time)
Functional area – Dynamic environment
- IG simulated physical vehicle model.
- Dynamic tracks and ground-dependent dust clouds.
- Advanced animation system for complex animations.
- Powerful 3D model features based on hierarchies and functional components.
- Flow-based simulation of helicopter downdrafts.
- Deterministic online computed ocean wave model with swell, directional wave crests and local wave regions. Simulation of 3D bow waves, underwater thrusters, model-dependent wake.
- Complex nautical light generation.
- Writing on texture (e.g. for ship names, tactical signs or license plates.
Rheinmetall has a long and distinguished history in the development and production of innovative and advanced training systems for the Air Force, Army and Navy. The company is involved in numerous multinational and global training programs for a wide range of aviation-based platforms such as the NH90 helicopter, Tiger attack helicopter, Eurofighter (Typhoon) combat aircraft, A400M military transport aircraft and C-390 military transport aircraft .
Rheinmetall offers a complete range and tailored training solutions from computer-based training, procedures and systems trainers, cockpit procedures and maintenance trainers to full-mission flight simulators up to Level-D as well as networked tactics simulators. Several virtual and augmented solutions have already been developed and implemented in the area of flight simulation at Rheinmetall.
The applications allow users to immerse themselves in a virtual world in a variety of ways as part of their training to maximize their personal training experience. These remain in the memory for a long time and raise the training effect to a new, next level. Furthermore, these training solutions are cost-efficient and can be made available after the initial development as oft en as needed to perform a large amount of training courses in parallel.
Flight simulation technologies
- Introduction of holistic training tools in the field of flight simulation.
- Simple and intuitive augmented and virtual reality handling, exactly adapted to the respective field of application.
- For military transport aircraft , e.g.:
- Embraer C-390
- Airbus A400M
- Lockheed Martin C-130J
- For helicopters, e.g.:
- NHIndustries NH90
- Airbus Helicopters Tiger
- In the fields of
- pilot and crew training
- loadmaster training
- maintenance training
- Use of new, modern and intuitive technologies to obtain an holistic sustainable training on highest standards.