In Virtual Reality News
March 17, 2025 – Aptima Inc., a provider of technology solutions for training and human performance optimization in defense, healthcare, and education, recently announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) to further develop “MASTER,” a virtual reality (VR) based system for more realistic and effective pilot training for spatial disorientation (SD).
MASTER (Mishap Awareness Scenario Training for Ensuring Readiness), initially developed by the Aptima team under prior SBIR contracts with NAWCTSD, is an immersive training solution that combines VR to present an array of SD illusion playback videos.
According to the company, further efforts to develop MASTER will focus on integrating SoarTech’s Wing Mishap Awareness Narratives (WingMAN), along with “galvanic vestibular stimulation” technology to realistically create the physiological effects of spatial disorientation, as well as an array of objective and subjective metrics.
What is Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation?
Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) is a neuromodulation technique that uses small electrical currents applied to stimulate the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation, in order to create the realistic effects of motion.
How is GVS Used in Pilot Training?
GVS technology has been explored for military applications, including in training and pilot simulation, according to Aptima, which noted that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has traditionally employed a combination of classroom instruction, simulator-based training, and in-flight exposure to help pilots recognize, mitigate, and recover from SD.
Spatial disorientation is a leading factor in aviation accidents, occurring when pilots lose their situational awareness and accurate perception of position, motion, and/or altitude relative to the Earth’s surface. However, current training lacks the realistic effects of SD that can happen in flight, and no cost-effective training solution currently exists that can deliver both SD illusion training scenarios and the neurophysiological effects of SD, according to Aptima.
“Research suggests that, as a pilot, you can better tackle SD when you’ve experienced it before versus experiencing it for the first time in the aircraft,” said Cherrise Ficke, Aptima’s MASTER Project Manager. “MASTER will provide that exposure to pilots so the first time they are experiencing SD will be in a safe environment.”
Aptima stated that the MASTER system will provide trainees with immersive and portable SD training that not only allows users to experience an SD illusion but will incorporate the ability to replay the illusion. Trainees will be able to revisit and critically assess their SD experiences and performance during training, fostering increased awareness as training evolves.
“The development of this system will also involve iterative testing to calibrate GVS doses to ensure the realistic and safe generation of SD effects for all users,” added Ficke.
To learn more about how Aptima is applying physical and perceptual augmentation to enhance human performance and safety in mission-critical environments, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Aptima
Related Posts
About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.