From the Editor’s Desk: A Healthy S&T Community – with Challenges and Opportunities

[Editor’s note: This is one in a series of assessments of activities, trends, challenges and opportunities in the simulation and training industry.]

After attending this month’s 2024 I/ITSEC and benefitting from the bonus of being present at EATS 2024 to support MS&T’s companion department CAT, a few observations are offered on the state of the S&T community.

On the technology side, there should be no surprise the community is focused on advancing a number of core technologies, in particular the digital twin, AI, data and XR.

These technology enablers are ever-more present beyond military training and aviation – across adjacent high-risk sectors. In one case, Rep, Bobby Scott (Virginia) gained attention when he cited during the I/ITSEC Congressional M&S Caucus meeting that a digital twin of the Hampton Roads, Virginia region is helping to strengthen resilience to natural disasters during simulation-enhanced studies and like activities.

While R&D and early use cases for AI are rapidly evolving for training and other activities across enterprises, there are common concerns from community leaders about the imperative for “guardrails” to be set in place around programs and products. Of interest is how policy and guidance for security, privacy, ethics and other focal points will evolve – possibly through public law, conformance with organizations’ standards and guidelines, or other efforts. Yet, AI is also postured to generate positive changes in learning organizations and their instructional strategies – as AI is evolving to strengthen the role of the instructor as well assisting the learner.

The XR space is becoming more crowded as observed at I/ITSEC 2024. On a positive note, a number of suppliers of materiel for AR, MR and VR “get it” – they are responding to enterprise- level concerns to “democratize” (make headsets more affordable), and address technical challenges, for instance, resolving remaining latency and other issues to improve the XR-enabled learning session. It is also interesting to note that there is a gap among XR content suppliers, especially those in the defense space. A few suppliers I engaged with at I/ITSEC 2024 were conversant in addressing their embrace of 4G and 5G to expand the number of scenario particpants, security and other attributes of interoperability – High Level Architecture-compliance and such. And yet, a few other representatives were just starting to think through some of the challenges on using XR devices beyond commercial use.

Data – data, data and more data! Learning organizations are exhibiting an unquenchable thirst for data generated during live training, simulator sessions and other organized learning activities for individuals, units and staffs. It’s of note to observe an increasing number of sector companies are focusing on taking the terabytes and other quantifiable, measured data packages generated during learning sessions, and then analyzing it and taking other steps to allow instructors and upper-tier managers to use that content to gain more accurate assessments of performance and other learning outcomes.

The Company Perspective

It was great to see and meet with a number of new companies at I/ITSEC 2024. And while I truly try to “get out” and keep up with S&T activities, this conference was the first time I heard the “digital native” label attributed to a company. It was clear these new digital-focused, platform-based businesses were differentiating themselves from legacy-era, larger companies/units in the S&T market – especially those which are part of an OEM’s business. I look forward to watching these smaller, more agile and nimble companies compete and contribute in the S&T community.

On our Watch List

Challenges, opportunities, “ready for training” and other developments are on the S&T industry’s 2025 horizon. MS&T and its companion CAT and SCT departments look forward to observing and commenting on these activities through the year. We invite you to continue following us!