A system and method for training a pilot to operate an aircraft in sudden-onset reduced-visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes electrooptic material having an optical transmittance that varies with an electrical signal applied to the material and a power supply to provide the electrical signal to the material. The electrooptic material is disposed to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when the electrooptic material is in a low-optical-transmittance state. The system further includes a flight-safety sensor that sets the output of the power supply to correspond to an optical transmittance state of the electrooptic material that does not substantially restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when flight conditions are deemed unsafe. The method includes reducing the optical transmittance of the material to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft in a manner unexpected to the pilot at the time of the transmittance reduction.

A system and method for training a pilot to operate an aircraft in sudden-onset reduced-visibility conditions is disclosed. The system includes electrooptic material having an optical transmittance that varies with an electrical signal applied to the material and a power supply to provide the electrical signal to the material. The electrooptic material is disposed to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when the electrooptic material is in a low-optical-transmittance state. The system further includes a flight-safety sensor that sets the output of the power supply to correspond to an optical transmittance state of the electrooptic material that does not substantially restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft when flight conditions are deemed unsafe. The method includes reducing the optical transmittance of the material to restrict the pilot's visibility outside the aircraft in a manner unexpected to the pilot at the time of the transmittance reduction.

A system and related method for simulating IR halos in a computer graphics display generates a set of halo candidates corresponding to each new scene by scanning the frame buffer for that scene to flag pixels associated with unocculted light sources as halo candidates, or prospective halo centers around which simulated halos are to be drawn. The system adjusts the defocus value of flagged halo candidates based on their pixel distance and determines whether identified halo centers are new, continuing, or expired by comparing the current scene and its halo candidate list to the preceding (currently displayed) image and its list of current halo centers. The system generates a dual visible/IR image, adding IR-only polygonal halos to the identified halo centers based on pixel attributes. The dual image is projected for viewing by night vision goggles, which the IR-only image and component halos will stimulate.

A system and related method for simulating IR halos in a computer graphics display generates a set of halo candidates corresponding to each new scene by scanning the frame buffer for that scene to flag pixels associated with unocculted light sources as halo candidates, or prospective halo centers around which simulated halos are to be drawn. The system adjusts the defocus value of flagged halo candidates based on their pixel distance and determines whether identified halo centers are new, continuing, or expired by comparing the current scene and its halo candidate list to the preceding (currently displayed) image and its list of current halo centers. The system generates a dual visible/IR image, adding IR-only polygonal halos to the identified halo centers based on pixel attributes. The dual image is projected for viewing by night vision goggles, which the IR-only image and component halos will stimulate.

A device, system and method of cross-talk reduction in visual sensor systems is provided. A display device is configured to provide first images viewable by a first visual sensor system, and second images, viewable by a second visual sensor system. The first images and the second images have common features which align when the first images and the second images are provided concurrently. The first images comprise wavelengths viewable by the second visual sensor system. A controller determines a second visual sensor system intensity component of the first images using a response curve of the second visual sensor system. The controller reduces intensity of the second images provided at the display device by the second visual sensor system intensity component of the first images, at least when the first images and the second images are concurrently provided.

A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. A flight helmet having a visor with an electrically controlled optical state is configured to automatically move the visor up out of the pilot's line of sight on receipt of a signal from a safety sensor. This sensor-based automated moving of the visor helps alleviate danger in circumstances where the visor is improperly hindering the pilot. The helmet can be used, for example, in reduced-visibility training sessions and thereby improve the safety of such sessions. And the helmet can be used with enhanced or synthetic vision systems as a failsafe if the systems are hindering rather than helping the pilot.

A system and method for improving safety when operating an aircraft in reduced or modified visibility conditions is disclosed. A flight helmet having a visor with an electrically controlled optical state is configured to automatically move the visor up out of the pilot's line of sight on receipt of a signal from a safety sensor. This sensor-based automated moving of the visor helps alleviate danger in circumstances where the visor is improperly hindering the pilot. The helmet can be used, for example, in reduced-visibility training sessions and thereby improve the safety of such sessions. And the helmet can be used with enhanced or synthetic vision systems as a failsafe if the systems are hindering rather than helping the pilot.

An illumination device for a light modulated projector includes a first and a second color wheel. A first filter surface of the first color wheel comprises at least three first surface sections arranged one behind the other, which protrude into an illumination beam path of the illumination device successively on rotation and in each case convey illumination radiation of a different partial range of the visible wavelength range. At least one of the first surface sections of the first filter surface conveys illumination radiation from the infrared range. A second filter surface of the second color wheel comprises a first surface segment which only conveys illumination radiation from the visible wavelength range and a second surface segment which only conveys illumination radiation from the infrared range. The first and second surface segments protrude into the illumination beam path successively on rotation.

An illumination device for a light modulated projector includes a first and a second color wheel. A first filter surface of the first color wheel comprises at least three first surface sections arranged one behind the other, which protrude into an illumination beam path of the illumination device successively on rotation and in each case convey illumination radiation of a different partial range of the visible wavelength range. At least one of the first surface sections of the first filter surface conveys illumination radiation from the infrared range. A second filter surface of the second color wheel comprises a first surface segment which only conveys illumination radiation from the visible wavelength range and a second surface segment which only conveys illumination radiation from the infrared range. The first and second surface segments protrude into the illumination beam path successively on rotation.

The illustrative embodiments provide for a method a training system. The training system includes a physical sensor system connected to a physical vehicle. The physical sensor system is configured to obtain real atmospheric obscuration data of a real atmospheric obscuration. The training system also includes a data processing system comprising a processor and a tangible memory. The data processing system is configured to receive the real atmospheric obscuration data, and determine based on the real atmospheric obscuration data whether a target is visible to the physical vehicle in a simulation training environment generated by the data processing system. The simulation training environment at least including a virtual representation of the physical vehicle and a virtual representation of the real atmospheric obscuration.