December 15, 2009: Creating accurate combat simulations for infantry troops has always been a challenge. But now there's one (VirtuSphere) that comes a lot closer than any before. Think of it as the ultimate FPS (First Person Shooter) video game. It works like this. The player (trainee) uses an eyeglass display, which makes it appear that a huge computer display is right in front of him. The player then enters a ten foot diameter plastic sphere, that rotates, in all directions, on a stationary track mechanism. The motion of the sphere is linked electronically to the game software, and the trainee sees the movement he makes, walking or running inside the sphere, reflected in his display of the photo-realistic battlefield. A similar system, VIRTSIM, has up to twelve soldiers moving around in a 50 by 100 foot area that is wired to record their movements in a video game (seen through the eyeglass type display.)

Both systems have found customers (like the U.S. Army, the FBI and other police organizations), at least for evaluation.