Middletown, RI, May 14, 2002 -- KVH Industries announced that its fiber optic gyros (FOGs) have been selected by the U.S. military to provide motion tracking, visual stabilization, and image synchronization for the Stinger and Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) training simulators.
KVH gyros will be used to upgrade existing Stinger shoulder- and tripod-mounted simulators while the tripod- or vehicle-mounted ITAS simulator is an entirely new system. These orders mark the most recent selection of KVH gyros for defense-related, virtual reality simulators. KVH currently supplies FOGs for use in the Javelin Basic Skills Trainer, an order that was originally announced in November 2000.
The Stinger, ITAS, and Javelin simulators are designed to operate in the same way as the actual missile launchers. A digitized battlefield is displayed in the simulator's targeting scope and, as the soldier moves the simulator to track and fire on a potential target, the battlefield image moves correspondingly, offering a realistic battlefield environment. At the same time, the instructor can view and influence the same virtual image on a computer screen to vary the timing and types of targets while monitoring and evaluating a trainee's performance.
E*Core FOGs use KVH's proprietary polarization-maintaining optical fiber and fiber components and are highly reliable systems with no moving parts to wear out or require maintenance. FOGs provide extremely precise rotational rate information by measuring the phase difference between two paths of light traveling in opposite directions through an optical fiber. Their precision results in part because of their lack of cross-axis sensitivity to vibration and acceleration.
KVH FOGs also have low noise and high bandwidth, essential to motion tracking and image stabilization applications. Currently, KVH Industries' FOGs are fielded in a wide array of defense-related applications ranging from optical, radar, and antenna aiming systems to battlefield tactical navigation systems and turret stabilization.
For more information, visit www.kvh.com .
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