University Knowledge Transfer Partnership Takes SafeAim to New Markets

SafeAim is a small, potentially world-class company, located in the Winfrith Technology Centre in rural Dorset. Ongoing advancements in IT have provided the business opportunity to develop simulator training packages for PC environments. Whilst the company recognised this need, they lacked the in-house capability to develop such a package. Therefore, they turned to the world renowned National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University, whose outputs are at the cutting edge of research applicable to creative industries. One example being George Lucas’s company, Industrial Light and Magic, with who they enjoy an ongoing collaborative relationship.

The partnership, fostered under the UK-national KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnerships) programme, has developed a highly cost-effective product based on the innovative use of simulation algorithms and new technology. The success of this development, along with the production of a training management front-end package in a subsequent technology and enterprise programme, has enabled SafeAim to become a world leader in precision gunnery simulation.

Recent studies commissioned by the UK's Ministry of Defence have indicated that the use of gunnery simulators could realise a 20% saving on the cost of firing live ammunition. For the British taxpayer this means potential savings in excess of £1.5 million a year. The product, which offers comparable functionality to the state-of- the-art, at a fraction of the price, has opened up enormous opportunities, not only in the UK, but also in terms of exports to the other 12 countries currently engaged in a military simulator training philosophy entitled ‘Spend to Save’.

Extent of Innovation resulting from KTP programme

The innovative drive of the programme was to develop a high-specification, computer animated training package using only commercially off the shelf (COTS) hardware. The developed Simulator Visual System (SVS), for the training of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) crews, had to be comparable to state-of-the-art systems that use expensive graphic engine hardware, whilst running on much cheaper, PC environments. This required the development of elegant, memory- efficient software, via the application of research techniques developed by the National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) at Bournemouth University.

This application of research, combined with the talent of the Associate, Dr Ghohe Xu, has enabled the development of accurate ballistics calculations for an extensive library of very realistic 3D models and terrains. These were specifically achieved via the design of a number of innovative computer algorithms, that, whilst realistically simulating the physical aspects of the environment, are extremely efficient in respect of memory usage. The success of the programme has enabled a shift in the balance, from expenditure in expensive hardware, to cost-effective PC-based environments that use elegant software. This has led to the development of a system of comparable functionality and visual quality at a fraction of the price.

The other major innovation is the flexibility of the package in terms of ongoing technical advancements and changes in customer specific requirements. The parameters of the SVS package, such as resolution, colour depth and frame rates, were determined to take into account likely technological developments in graphics accelerators and computing algorithms. The current version has been produced with a 3D-modelling programme, called Creator, and a run-time development package, called Vega. However, plans are already in place to enhance the current product with the new Vega Prime package, which uses C++, which will further enhance the appearance and functionality of the product.

The extensive library of terrain models and extremely accurately, fully-textured, 3D models with weapons specific trajectory and ballistic calculations, means that the package can be easily modified for a variety of customer countries adopting the ‘Spend to Save’ training philosophy1. It means that the plethora of ‘friendly’ and ‘enemy’ vehicles, likely to be encountered in a given theatre of war, can be configured into the package. This means that trainee crews can experience the visual appearance and characteristics of any vehicles at any angle and any range. This can be studied before and during training. This advancement in vehicle recognition techniques has already been recognised by serving British Army military trainers as a valuable and opportune training tool, well suited to help reduce the possibility of future ‘Blue on Blue’ or ’Friendly Fire’ incidents.

Company Benefits

Via the KTP programme, the company wwas able to embark on a cost-effective research and development programme, the market value of which would have run into several hundred thousand pounds. Consequently, SafeAim now have in-house simulator design and development capability. This means they have moved from the delivery of courses using external packages, to a world-leading supplier of precision gunnery simulation packages with integrated training management software. Key staff now have an understanding of computer graphics and advanced 3D software and how they can be applied to real-time 3D simulation. This capability will shorten future product development timescales, reduce costs and improve the quality of final products. As a result the company have gained significant competitive advantage in terms of the price efficiency of this product and others that are already under development.

It is widely accepted that training gunners in basic gunnery psycho-motor skills, i.e. the ability to aim very accurately and quickly at stationary and moving targets, whilst firing from a stationary vehicle, can be effectively delivered via simulation packages. In the Public Service Comparator (PSC) for the MOD Armoured Vehicle Training Service (AVTS) PPP, it was stated that the general use of gunnery simulators could enable the saving of up to 20% of the annual cost of firing live ammunition. Conservatively, financial savings directly attributable to SafeAim’s product will be at least 5% of the total ammunition cost. With total, annual UK expenditure on live firing at around £30 million per year, this saving is likely to be in excess of £1.5 million per year. The typical life expectancy of a simulator is at least 10 years, which means that overall savings of £15 million to the tax-payer should be achievable.

After 7.5 man years of effort and investments in hardware and software exceeding £50,000, the product was launched at the Defence Systems and Equipment International Conference in London, 9 – 12th September, 2003. Whilst this means that it is too early to have secured contracts, the product has aroused a great deal of

1 Countries such as Oman, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Finland, Japan, Spain Turkey, India, Greece and Australia who are following the UK lead in investing in simulator training to offset a percentage of the charge of firing live rounds. interest, with SafeAim’s stand being visited by representatives of the armed forces engaged in ‘Spend to Save’ including; Oman, Kuwait, Finland, Spain and Turkey.

With 12 Middle East, European and Asian countries already signed up to the ‘Spend to Save’ philosophy, the export potential of the product is enormous. However, potential for the UK market is also very strong and to date the company have received extensive interest from the British Army and the Ministry of Defence. SafeAim are a member of the Landmark Training group, one of three consortia bidding for the Armoured Vehicles Training Service (AVTS) programme. This is a Private Finance Initiative to provide basic training for AFVs and is a 30 year contact valued at £1.8 Bn. The unit cost of SafeAim’s product for the UK market is likely to be about £50,000. With the UK AFV fleet of close to 1000 vehicles, this means potential sales of between 125 and 150 systems are achievable at a value of between £6.25 million and £7.5 million.

University Benefits

The National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) at Bournemouth University is a world-renowned research centre that enjoys an ongoing collaborative relationship with George Lucas’s company; Industrial Light and Magic. It is rated as a 5 in the recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and has produced a large number of theoretical publications, involving a number of PhD students and research assistants. These have been of benefit to creative industries, cited as a priority sector by the South West of England Regional Development Agency.

The KTP programme with SafeAim has not only enhanced its current curriculum with contributions to its MSc Programmes, but has also given rise to a number of new research areas in visual simulation, which, so far, have led to 3 additional Post- graduate projects.

One of the research questions being asked by the NCCA, which is directly linked to the KTP programme, is how to deal with the conflicting issue of visual quality and computer speed. A key feature of a visual simulation system is its interactivity, i.e. the ability for the system to react in real time. However, the better the visual quality required, the heavier computer the power that is needed. The algorithms developed during this programme have made a significant contribution to producing convincing visual results using limited computer power.

It is anticipated that further research funding can be secured from UK-based and government-sponsored Research Councils for further development of large-scale simulation projects. These will require the design of more advanced computer algorithms, producing more realistic special effects efficiently. A particular extension of this project will be to broaden the scope in terms of accuracy and technical depth, which is to incorporate more physical properties into the simulation, such as vibration, driving inertia and road surface geometry etc. Such properties will further enhance the realism of simulation.

Similar ideas can also be applied to other vehicle simulation, possibly for shipping that presents its own set of unique problems. Therefore, whilst the NCCA will be actively looking to build on its project with SafeAim, it will also be seeking collaboration with simulation companies in other fields. Negotiations are already underway to explore a collaborative project with a leading aerospace defence company and plans are already in place to apply its expertise to civilian applications.

Other NCCA staff members have also extended their academic and technical knowledge in the areas of mask classes of modelling objects and strategies for Artificial Intelligence (AI) design and implementation.

Associate Benefits

The Associate gained two years experience managing software development for an extremely complicated project. The objectives of the programme were not only met, but were exceeded and the Associate has thus been retained by the company in the position of Software Engineer. As such, Dr Guohe Xu is pivotal to SafeAim’s continued programme of research & development. This programme includes ongoing refinement of the developed product, as technical enhancements of hardware and software continue. It also includes the development of associated projects such as an accurate simulation of the breakout at battle of El Alamein, which has been commissioned by the military museum of The Queen’s Own Hussars at Warwick.

If the Landmark consortium is selected as the preferred bidder for the AVTS programme, SafeAim have a business plan that has a strategy for rapid expansion. This means that Dr Guohe Xu is likely to be offered the position of Software Development Manager, in charge of a small team that will need to be recruited.

In total Dr Guohe Xu spent 31 days on formal training during the KTP programme and, in addition to the valuable experience gained from TCD Modules, the Associate studied Business English and acquired the Microsoft Certificate for Software Development (MCSD). Dr Xu also completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and has been made a Chartered Engineer be the Institute of Electronic Engineering.

Current Relationship between SafeAim and Bournemouth University

Both organisations are extremely pleased with the benefits gained from the KTP Programme and, as a consequence, SafeAim enjoy a continuing, mutually beneficial partnership with the University. One, major result from this ongoing relationship was the recent winning of the Dorset Final of the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme (STEP) Awards. They are now hoping for continued success in the regional and possibly national finals.

The STEP project was concerned with the development of a front-end, training management system that has the capability to monitor the progress of every individual trainee. It incorporates a rotating, 3D representation of the trainee’s progress through a multiple course matrix, allowing the trainer to monitor, at a glance, the progress of each student. It was the completion of this ‘missing piece of the jigsaw’ that allowed the product to be launched in time for the Defence Systems and Equipment International Conference in London, 9 – 12th September, 2003.

The company has also been involved in another two student projects since the completion of the KTP programme, and they are currently entering into another collaborative confidential research project with the NCCA, which will probably benefit from major hardware investments recently made by the department.