Brig. General William Glaser, Director, Army Futures Command Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team, tests virtual reality equipment at a Soldier touchpoint in Orlando.
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AUSTIN, Texas Geospatial Intelligence professionals met at the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundations GeoINT 2022 Symposium in Aurora Colorado last month to discuss new achievements and discuss the field’s rapid growth.
The event highlighted topics such as how technological advances have influenced creation and use maps, including within intelligence and military communities.
April 26th, What is a Map? The panel featured guest speakers from the U.S. government as well as private industry. They discussed how maps have changed in recent years, what new information maps can convey, and why maps are still essential tools in everything, from personal navigation to foreign policy development and warfighting.
Brig. General William Glaser, director, Army Futures Command Synthetic Training Environment (STE), Cross-Functional Team.
Glaser and his panelists discussed how high-performance, dynamic maps today, which often use 3D imagery, are often informed from an amalgamation artificial intelligence, fluid data inputs, and precision sensors. This can improve visibility and increase the user’s understanding of a situation as well as provide options for action.
Panelist Ed Parsons, geospatial technologynologist at Google, stated that our relationship with maps is more than passive. We were interacting with the map. The map changes according to what we do. However, we were also sharing our activities with the map developers.
Parsons explained that elastic maps allow for flexibility, which means they can change and adapt to changing conditions.
This near-real-time visibility can give Army map users distinct tactical advantages.
Glaser stated that commanders and soldiers must be able to visualize the terrain 3D in order to understand the operational environment.
He pointed out that One World Terrain, one of the Army’s core STE efforts is a single synthetic format that can be used in multiple scenarios. The 3D terrain data collection can be viewed with everything, from goggles and laptops to computers. This helps to strengthen overall readiness.
The Army is also developing STE Information System (a virtual training suite) and equipment such the Squad Immersive Trainer (a mixed-reality tool that uses a heads up display).
U.S. Army Soldiers use the Reconfigurable Virtual Collectible Trainer system to train in a Synthetic Training Environment.
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Glaser said that the Army can now fight a thousand bloodless combat battles using advanced mapping technology, which is a breakthrough because it can train Soldiers in a way that is more efficient than ever before.
Digital maps have many facets. This allows for many users to access and influence collective maps.
Parsons stated that maps are more used today than ever before in history.
This increased use of maps has also led to a greater demand for format and functionality.
Dr. Lee Schwartz, director of the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues, at the State Departments Bureau of Intelligence and Research, stated that cartography is not a science but an art. Maps must be visually appealing and provide a lot of information.
Participatory map development, such by including the contributions of people who live in the area being mapped, is an important consideration in modern map design.
Schwartz stated that you must always include the human element.
Furthermore, maps are used to make decisions. Therefore, information must be valid and secure. This is an area that can be further developed, but in many cases accuracy can be achieved simply by achieving critical mass.
Parsons explained that the maps can now be self-healing. By using the maps, you are contributing to the content.
Arturo’s vice president of artificial Intelligence, Dr. Daniela Moody, also highlighted the storytelling nature maps. These maps are becoming more than just a way to direct the user to where they need to go.
Moody said that this is no longer a static environment. Maps are the way to tell stories and make quick decisions.
Glaser stated that while digital maps can bring about transformational capabilities, traditional paper maps will still be necessary, especially when maneuvering in poor environments. The Army will continue to support analog map reading skills, compass navigation fluency, and compass navigation even as it implements interactive mapping systems.
Glaser stated that every Army officer who is worth his salt loves maps.
It is that one thing that will lead his Soldiers to victory.
You can view the entire video recording of GEOINT 2022 Symposium “What is a Map?” Online recording of the GEOINT 2022 Symposium What is a Map? panel available Here.
