Event round-up: Are Synthetic Environments and Immersive Technologies the new military operating environment?
On 22 May, techUK held its latest event exploring the use of synthetic environments and immersive technologies in defence and national security.
Synthetic environments and immersive technologies are increasingly vital for military training across all domains. Their growing usage in both platform and collective training underscores their importance.
Recent technological advancements and more sophisticated software are expanding their utility. These technologies now play a crucial role in mission planning, rehearsal, and execution by offering enhanced immersive experiences and facilitating complex, multi-source inputs. This integration allows for rapid simulation of various scenarios, aiding decision-makers in real time.
Employing these technologies can significantly improve operational outcomes while reducing resources such as time, personnel, and equipment.
Our panellists delved into these technologies, where they are being deployed, how their development and use are expected to evolve, and what implications this may have for future military operating environments.
Webinar recording
Panellists
Rory Daniels
Air Vice Marshal (Ret’d) Bruce Hedley MBE
General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE
Mimi Keshani
Key points
- Sir Richard Barrons provided an overview of synthetic and immersive environments. These environments can be used for situational awareness and training and can encompass all defence-related work. They also facilitate collaboration with the government, partners, and the public.
- Bruce Hedley discussed the challenges confronting the defence industry. He noted that training procedures within the forces are hindering innovation and change. There is a lack of adoption of new technologies and innovation, highlighting the need for a digital infrastructure. Additionally, there is an issue with the industry's ability to produce at scale and speed while working in collaboration with defence.
- Mimi Keshani discussed the challenges of creating synthetic environments. Currently, procurement makes it hard to purchase the necessary equipment, and implementation is also difficult. While some challenges are related to technology, most of them involve a cultural shift. It's important for these technologies to be user-friendly and support natural language processing. Even though these technologies are already in use, the process of adoption is slow.
Meet the team
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, he is techUK's Programme Manager for Emerging Technologies, covering dozens of technologies including metaverse, drones, future materials, robotics, blockchain, space technologies, nanotechnology, gaming tech and Web3.0.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
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Emerging technologies will be debated and explored at our annual Tech and Innovation Summit, taking place on 6 November. This campaign week will directly feed into the themes discussed at the Summit.
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Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, he is techUK's Programme Manager for Emerging Technologies, covering dozens of technologies including metaverse, drones, future materials, robotics, blockchain, space technologies, nanotechnology, gaming tech and Web3.0.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
This campaign has explored how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of the technologies set to underpin the Gaming & Esports sector of the future.
These include AI, augmented / virtual / mixed / extended reality, haptics, cloud & edge computing, semiconductors, and advanced connectivity (5/6G).
Activity has taken the form of roundtables, panel discussions, networking sessions, Summits, and thought leadership pieces. A report featuring member case studies and policy recommendations is currently being produced (to be launched in September 2024).
Get in touch below to find out more about contributing to or collaborating on this campaign.
Event round-ups
Insights
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, he is techUK's Programme Manager for Emerging Technologies, covering dozens of technologies including metaverse, drones, future materials, robotics, blockchain, space technologies, nanotechnology, gaming tech and Web3.0.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
Running from July to December 2024, this campaign will explore how the UK can lead on the development, application and commercialisation of web3 and immersive technologies.
These include blockchain, smart contracts, digital assets, augmented / virtual / mixed / extended reality, spatial computing, haptics and holograms.
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Get in touch below to find out more about contributing to or collaborating on this campaign.
Upcoming events
Get in touch
Rory Daniels
Rory Daniels
Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.
During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.
Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.
Today, he is techUK's Programme Manager for Emerging Technologies, covering dozens of technologies including metaverse, drones, future materials, robotics, blockchain, space technologies, nanotechnology, gaming tech and Web3.0.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/
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