Testing a Biological Weapon Detection System in a Distributed Virtual Reality Environment

Paul Beckman

doi:10.20870/ijvr.2001.5.1.2666

Abstract

A study called Bio-Sim was sponsored by the U.S. Army to examine the LR-BSDS (Long-Range Biological Standoff Detection System), a laser-based biological cloud detector. Testing of the device was performed in a distributed virtual reality environment (DVRE). The three primary objectives of the study were to: 1) determine appropriate tactics, techniques, and procedures for use of the LR-BSDS, 2) gain a better understanding of those battlefield situations and characteristics that limit the effective use of the LR-BSDS, and 3) demonstrate the potential to use a DVRE simulation for training using the LR-BSDS. This paper will focus on the third of those objectives. The study consisted of three phases. The first phase involved calculating theoretical concentration limits of a dispersed biohazard as a function of time, dispersion concentration, and distance to sensor. The second phase resulted in a set of abbreviated bio-cloud detection missions run in a DVRE. The third phase was a set of full-length human-in-the-loop trial missions run by trained LR-BSDS operators and helicopter flight crews, using a DVRE and computer-based simulators for the LR-BSDS, helicopter, biocloud dispersion, and bio-cloud transport.

Highlights

Background of the BIOSIM StudyThe United States Army’s Chemical and Biological Defense Command, called the Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, initiated the Bio-Sim study
A 24-inch receiving device similar to a telescope is mounted in the helicopter, directly next to the laser. This receiver picks up the backscatter, amplifies it, and integrates the signal over time to give the LR-BSDS operator a “sliced” view of the space cut by the laser beam
The study results indicate points at which the LR-BSDS operators detected a bio-cloud signal, but those signals, and the detection indicated by the LR-BSDS operator cannot be confirmed as being identical to the signals that would have occurred in the real world on an actual LR-BSDS

Summary

Introduction

Background of the BIOSIM StudyThe United States Army’s Chemical and Biological Defense Command, called the Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, initiated the Bio-Sim study. The purpose of the study was to learn more about appropriates uses of the LR-BSDS [Condatore et al, 1999] a laser-based helicopter-borne device that detects airborne biological hazard clouds. The laser beam is aimed somewhat below horizontal, and is moved up and down in the LR-BSDS housing. This causes the beam to trace a sinusoidal path on the earth’s surface at some distance out from the helicopter. A 24-inch receiving device similar to a telescope is mounted in the helicopter, directly next to the laser This receiver picks up the backscatter, amplifies it, and integrates the signal over time to give the LR-BSDS operator a “sliced” view of the space cut by the laser beam. The LR-BSDS operator can view a time-series of cross-sections of an area of particular interested

Objectives

Results

Conclusion