CACI Extended Realities Technologies Transform Government Business

Extended realities (XR) are changing the way we connect people, information, and operational experiences. XR is an umbrella concept that encompasses augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies. CACI is using each to transform the way the Federal Government does business. From Data Center management to constructing the Navy’s most elite warfighting vessels, CACI engineers and designers are using AR and VR to help overlay multiple layers of information on the real world, making decision-making more informed and more timely.

Most recently, CACI has partnered with HookBang, a technology company based in Austin, Texas, to evaluate new AR/VR platforms, including those that integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Vision (MV), for the training and deployment of CACI hardware. HookBang’s application displays positioned overlays showing precise guidance on how to interact with the device. HookBang’s system is also embedded with real-time awareness, allowing it to immediately recognize when a user completes a step correctly or incorrectly, without network connectivity. The combination of technologies allows for end users of CACI equipment to have access to a trained artificial intelligence which can provide AR configuration instructions anywhere in the world.

While CACI is partnering with companies like HookBang to develop next-generation capabilities, CACI engineers and designers have worked for years with government agencies like the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) to develop virtual training, collaboration, and service delivery tools to create truly immersive and realistic experiences. CACI’s team of experts inside Johnson Space Center’s Virtual Reality Lab laid the foundation for modern astronaut training.  Incorporating real-time 3D experiences our teams help astronauts train for every aspect of their journey to space from how they will exercise in their down-time to how they will perform critical repairs on the International Space Station (ISS).

Additionally, AR, VR, and MR are impacting how the Navy maintains its fleet. CACI engineers work across the Navy to integrate virtual 3D immersions to train in multiple areas, teaching sailors everything from how to use their personal protective equipment to simulate how to respond to accidents. Just like at NASA, this type of training thrusts workers into more realistic and varied environments than possible in the classroom. Additionally, VR training requires active participation by its very nature, leading to better learning outcomes. This more effective training enables increased productivity across the Navy.

However, AR, VR, and MR are not just for training. In the field, servicemembers use CACI-developed AR technology to assemble and maintain critical gear. Servicemembers using CACI tech can scan the bar code of a power generator, an operator can summon a 3-D model of that piece of equipment and methodically examine different levels of its components. And, with heads-up, hands-free video calling on some equipment, operators can collaborate with remote experts on their mobile device to troubleshoot issues in context. Using mobile devices, the operator now has many of the same AR diagnostic capabilities as a maintainer stateside.

Even now, CACI is pushing the bounds of this technology even further combining XR technologies in virtual service delivery to accelerate operations, virtual collaboration to connect remote teams, and virtual training to improve on-the-job performance.

Asked about the future of XR across CACI, Director of Solutions Integration Lance Allen recently noted that the rise of virtual interactions will have a profound impact on the human side of government. “The future is bright and crosses a wide-range of missions. Furthermore, combining XR with CACI’s already robust understanding and employment of artificial intelligence (AI) promises an exciting look into how fast agencies will be able to better equip, train, and improve performance of entire workforces.”

This material consists of CACI International Inc general capabilities information that does not contain controlled technical data as defined within the International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) Part 120.10 or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) Part 734.7-10. (11/03/2020)