TESLASUIT for High-Performance Defence Training and Simulation
We’re lucky enough to get to work and collaborate with some really interesting people and companies here at Novatech. And defence, training and simulation is a space where we see a lot of cool innovations and developments.
Back in January 2021, we spoke to TESLASUIT’s very own VP for Global Partnerships Paul Nickeas and Co-Founders Dimitri Mikhalchuk and Denis Dybski to talk all about what they’ve dubbed their “human-to-digital interface” - a full-body VR suit that helps facilitate realistic training scenarios for its users.
Since, there have been a ton of awesome developments going on at TESLASUIT. And, it’s not often that we speak to the same people twice, but we just had to learn more.
We caught up with Paul Nickeas to learn all about what TESLASUIT has been up to over the past year and a half.
“We’ve now moved on to become a multi-product company, with our glove and our suit,” Paul tells us. “There’s also going to be a whole new range of technology that we’ll be launching next year.”
Keep reading to learn more.
The TESLASUIT: A Human-to-Digital Interface
The TESLASUIT is an advanced, full-body suit that’s designed to fully immerse its wearer in any VR scenario they enter. It does this by enabling them to interact with their virtual environment through touch and haptic feedback.
“The suit is a human-to-digital interface, Paul says. “And it comprises haptics, motion capture and biometry.”
In our last interview with TESLASUIT, we went into detail on the awesome features that make up the suit. Make sure you go check that out (if you haven’t already) if you want more of a deep dive into how the suit works.
Otherwise, here’s a light recap of the suit’s three key features that Paul mentioned above.
1.Haptic feedback
Haptic feedback is what creates the experience of touch for users.
“With the haptic feedback, we cover 95% of the muscle mass through 80 channels,” Paul says. “And you can apply a whole different range of sensations - for example, the feeling of a raindrop or a gunshot, or the impact of an explosion.
“Bear in mind that when it’s being used for armed force training, they want to deliver as realistic a sensation as they can. So, our haptic sensation can literally knock somebody off their feet.”
And the proof is in the pudding. Just look at how the suit’s haptics send Wasps rugby player Juan de Jongh flying backwards in this demo by Vodafone.
2.Motion capture
Motion capture enables you to record and monitor user movements and positioning.
“Ten inertial sensors allow you to track pose position and movement - that’s both skeletal and kinematic motion capture.”
3.Biometry
Biometry enables you to read and understand the physical state of the user during any scenario.
“We have the ability to actually look at stress level, a key indicator of a user whilst wearing the suit for training purposes. For example, you could look at how stressed a user is during pilot training,” Paul adds.
What’s new with the suit since we last spoke?
“We’ve spent the last two years honing what we believe is the right technology and solution for our clients,” Paul explains. “And we’ve added even more functionality to the suit.”
“The current version of the suit is version 4.54. But a new version - version 4.7- will be coming out. This version not only has more capability for the biometry - so you can look at heart rate, heart rate variability and core body temperature - but also the motion capture aspect.”
But that’s not where the new developments end. “A lot of R&D work has also been going on, in that we’re looking at creating thinner fabric textile. So the suit will be a lot more comfortable to wear as it will be made out of almost a neoprene fabric.”
These are exciting developments for the suit. But what else has been in the works?
Introducing: The TESLAGLOVE
It’s one thing to experience the virtual world through controllers. It’’s another entirely to experience it with your bare hands - to be able to touch and interact with virtual objects, to feel their texture and dimensions.
Introducing: The TESLAGLOVE.
“The TESLAGLOVE is our new addition to the TESLASUIT range,” Paul announces. It’s designed to fully immerse users into their VR scenarios by enabling them to interact with their surroundings using physical touch.
But how does it work?
Adjustable finger pads are complemented by a lightweight, exoskeletal glove to enable users to feel feel as though they are physically touching and interacting with objects. And, this works in a similar way to the suit - but it does have some key differences.
Instead of three, the glove instead has four key features:
1.Haptics
“With the haptic displays in the fingertips, you now have the ability to feel the difference between different textures and object shapes,” Paul explains.
Tactile displays installed in each finger emulate sensations, create the feeling of solid object texture, and enable users to differentiate between various surface types.
2.Force feedback
“Force feedback helps you to generate spatial resistance and vibration effects.”
The exoskeleton of the glove gently pulls at the wearer’s fingers during grasping movements - creating resistance and stopping the hand, as if it were meeting a real physical barrier and grasping a real object. This also enables users to feel shape, size, and the way that equipment might vibrate.
3.Motion capture
“You have motion capture - both finger and wrist position.”
The glove works alongside TESLASUIT, VIVE tracker, or Oculus controller to estimate where its wearer is positioned in relation to the virtual world. Finger tracking helps to recognise and interpret movements, control movement accuracy, and improve interactions with objects in applications.
4.Biometry
“With biometrics, you can look at stress level.”
Finally, biometry enables you to understand how the wearer handles stressful tasks. It does this via its built-in sensors that measure biometric data - for example, heart rate.
But when can defense and training organisations get their hands on their own pair of the gloves?
“The glove will be available for Q4, this year,” Paul says.
Who’s using these products right now?
“Ideal use cases for the suit range from training, rehabilitation, to many different enterprise use cases,” Paul says.
“When we look at defensive government services, the TESLASUIT has proved popular because it’s truly a point-of-need solution. It doesn’t need cables, it can be WiFi and bluetooth enabled, the battery lasts up to eight hours, you can bring multiple groups in to train, you can correct postural issues, it can manage stress building and also deliver stress, and more.”
Some of the organisations already using the suit include ABRT, who have been using the suit to help train police officers with lethal and non-lethal weapons - alongside an array of different exile technology, including anti-latemncy tracking headsets and modified weapons.
Outside of defense, TESLASUIT is working with the likes of NASA to look at human cognative and physical performance, European Space Agency to look at the long-term effects of space travel, Volvo to facilitate digital crash tests, and Honda to examine human-robot interaction.
An impressive array of partners. So, what about the TESLAGLOVE?
“Some of the use cases we’re working on include aerospace - so, virtual dashboard configuration, helping pilot training for human factor testing, aircraft maintenance, virtual prototyping, and more.
“When we look at manufacturing, you have the ability to now interact with full-sized CAF designs, working and practicing new equipment before it’s installed in factories and production lines.
“And then with exile training, you can look at everything from remote systems to real-time collaboration.”
What’s next for TESLASUIT?
TESLASUIT has seen some interesting developments over the past few years. So, what’s next?
“We plan to move into more integrated industries - so medical and more defence-orientated programmes,” Paul says.
“We’ll be working on a medical version of the suit in partnership with HSS that should be ready within the next kind of 18 months. We’re looking to use the suit to look at post-operative rehabilitation as part of their telemedicine programme.”
Thanks to Paul Nickeas for taking part in this interview.
Defence, training and simulation solutions
Implementing the right VR simulation and training solution for your organisation is easier when you work with a long-established and experienced partner who knows what they’re doing and can support you throughout every step of your journey.
We at Novatech are experts in designing, manufacturing and supporting specialist computing platforms and hardware that drive training, simulation and real-world applications. And we do this for some of the biggest names in the security, aviation, defence, and marine industries.
In fact, we’ve got lots of experience in managing VR and simulation projects from land-based simulation drivers to air and maintenance crew trainers.
We can support your training project from end to end - from programme conception and design to installation and testing. We also provide the hardware. You just tell us what you want to achieve and we’ll come up with the right virtualised environments, motion platforms, VBS, integrated racks, image generators, workstations and servers, and GPU-optimised platforms for your project.
So, how can we be of service? Take a look at our Defence, Training and Simulation solutions to find out more about what we can do for you.