Exploring the Ability to Employ Virtual 3D Entities Outdoors at Ranges Beyond 20 Meters
Abstract
The Army is procuring the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) system to enable enhanced night vision, planning, and training capability. One known limitation of the IVAS system is the limited ability to portray virtual entities at far ranges in the outdoors due to light wash out, accurate positioning, and dynamic occlusion. The primary goal of this research was to evaluate fixed three-dimensional (3D) visualizations to support outdoor training for fire teams through squads, requiring target visualizations for 3D non-player characters or vehicles at ranges up to 300 m. Tools employed to achieve outdoor visualizations included GPS locational data with virtual entity placement, and sensors to adjust device light levels. This study was conducted with 20 military test subjects in three scenarios at the Naval Postgraduate School using a HoloLens II. Outdoor location considerations included shadows, background clutter, cars blocking the field of view, and the suns positioning. Users provided feedback on identifying the type of object, and the difficulty in finding the object. The results indicate GPS only aided in identification for objects up to 100 m. Animation had a statistically insignificant effect on identification of objects. Employment of software to adjust the light levels of the virtual objects aided in identification of objects at 200 m. This research develops a clearer understanding of requirements to enable the employment of mixed reality in outdoor training.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1185051
Entities
People
- John R Morris
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School