Orlando, November 1998 — Rick Belluzzo, Silicon Graphics CEO and IITSEC’98 Keynote speaker used an Aechelon Technology C-Nova/C-Radiant software and databases for his state-of-the-art demonstration in visual simulation.
The first demonstration established a new level of state-of-the-art in the OTW image generation. This C-Nova demonstration had two F117 departing from Tonopah AFB and delivering a bombing run over target areas. With a 340x400nm geospecific scenario of the Southwestern United States derived from satellite and aerial photography, with typical imagery resolutions ranging from 5m to 0.5m. Insets of 0.5m were provided for airfields and target areas. The system supported sustained 60hz updates while paging both texture and geometry from disk with numerous moving targets. Geometry for the high fidelity terrain extended to an 85nm horizon, including continuous time of day/night, sun/moon, and special effects such as columns of smoke, explosions, plane-cast shadows
Aechelon Technology provided the software image generation and database, developing a highly realistic sea state model with sun/moon directional reflections in interaction with articulated models of F16s and F117, never seen before at such fidelity in real time at sixty frames per second. The demonstration showed the peak performance of two InfiniteReality2 multiplexed together using DPLEX. The software image generation was based on Aechelon’s C-Nova, demonstrating the capability of low risk plug and play for new hardware features. C-Nova SGI support is based on the latest version of SGI Performer and Open GL.
The second demonstration raised the bar in sensor simulation. This C-Radiant-based Night Vision Goggle simulation employed a sensor independent database that was processed using elevation data, aerial photography and multispectral/hyperspectral satellite imagery, determining characteristics and normals per texel at any resolution. Special effects such as true halos for non-compatible lights as well as noise and autogain were demonstrated.
Both demonstrations were shown for the first time in public in the keynote speaker presentation, and were deployed in both the Sgi and US Air Force Research Lab booths during the IITSEC’98 exhibition.