ChristieA®, an innovator in projection displays for simulation and visualization, was the “clear”? choice for the US Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) with a revolutionary DLPA® and LED solution for its Battlefield Highly Immersive Virtual Environment (BHIVE). AMRDEC replaced its aging, conventional lamp-based projectors with six Christie Matrix StIMâ„¢ projectors. Christie’s excellent reputation in the military and simulation industries, and its position as the first to deliver an LED solution that keeps performance up and operating costs down, were key deciding factors.
AMRDEC, housed within Redstone Arsenal – ‘the heart of the Army’s rocket and missile programs,’ – is the Army’s focal point for providing research, development, engineering and technology, and services for aviation and missile platforms. The BHIVE is just one of AMRDEC’s capabilities. It’s where cockpit configurations, within Engineering Analysis Cockpits, are evaluated using an outside view of a terrain now powered by six Christie Matrix StIM projectors. The screen provides a 70-degree vertical and 180-degree horizontal field-of-view (FOV), with the dome accommodating five cockpit simulators, each representing a different aircraft. The addition of Christie AutoCalâ„¢ and Christie MotoBlendâ„¢ renders a 180-degree, calibrated, seamless scene.
“The projectors in the Battlefield Highly Immersive Environment within the US Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center’s Advanced Prototyping, Engineering and Experimentation Laboratory were about 10-years old and nearing the end of their lifespan. We decided it was necessary, in order to continue accomplishing our mission, that we invest in new display technology and purchased six Christie Matrix StIM LED-based projectors,” said Merv Brokke, AMRDEC spokesperson.
“When Army Aviators conduct missions in the BHIVE’s various cockpit simulators, it is vital that our engineers and scientists present them with realistic virtual flight scenarios using high-resolution and highly realistic visualizations, so the resulting test data is valid and can be used towards improving current and developing future technologies for Army Aviation.”?
For example, the APEX 2 LAB creates an environment using true-to-life virtual landscapes to evaluate the Pilot-Vehicle interface issues with the proposed cockpit changes. So it is very important to AMRDEC that the outdoor terrain scenes appear as they would in the actual environment and under the same conditions.
This is especially the case when pilots engage in scenarios with highly detailed databases serving as true-to-life visual landscapes. It’s crucial that the out-of-the cockpit view accurately represents the location where the pilot is flying the mission.
The Christie Matrix StIM projectors have also been performing well during crew station working group meetings (CSWG). These experimental sessions draw on the expertise of many people including engineers, user representatives and operational pilots who remotely observe what the pilot sees inside and outside the cockpit and how the pilot performs. These ‘test factors’ allow pilots to fly as near-to-real missions as possible.
A typical CSWG lasts up to four consecutive days with the Christie Matrix StIM projectors beaming outdoor images onto the dome seven hours each day.
“Christie is proud to offer AMRDEC a purpose-built solution that delivers the most accurate analysis and training that prepares pilots for success in the field,”? added Zoran Veselic, vice president for Visual Environments at Christie. “The Christie Matrix StIM’s solid-state DLPA® platform, with LED illumination rated at 50,000 hours MTBF, supports AMRDEC’s goals to provide the most realistic training possible. The solution is ‘green’ and keeps operating costs down, while keeping pilot performance up.”?
