Defense Vehicle Simulation You Can Trust
Vortex is a complete software package for simulating tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles, specialty vehicles, and non-tactical vehicles. Rapidly extend your existing simulation capabilities with Vortex, CM Labs’ proven off-the-shelf solution for simulating defense vehicle dynamics. It’s designed to integrate within your existing framework, so you can quickly deliver high-fidelity ground vehicle simulations that help prepare soldiers for the toughest conditions. Vortex is backed by CM Labs’ dedicated team of military vehicle dynamics experts, engineers, and 3D software specialists—all focused on delivering the accuracy and flexibility you need to support skills training, operations planning, and other simulation projects.
The Vortex team: Your expert project partner When you work with the Vortex team, you know that an
development, or help writing vehicle testing criteria.
important piece of the project puzzle is already solved:
We can also provide support for acceptance testing
CM Labs is the defense sector’s acknowledged vehicle
and post-project activities.
dynamics expert, particularly for wheeled and tracked vehicles and robotics.
You no longer need to worry about dispersed in-house project expertise, temporary software fixes that are
There’s something else we take seriously, and that’s providing professionally managed project support—on time and on budget.
just “good enough,” and validation pains. That’s because your dedicated Vortex team will be standing by to help, throughout the lifecycle of your project.
We’ll perform within your workflow to support timely project delivery, whether you need guidance for systems definitions, software requirements, and architecture
Easy to integrate. Easy to use. Speed the delivery of your solutions by integrating ready-
Vortex is robust, highly re-useable technology that works
to-use simulation software from CM Labs. We can help
the way you need it to.
you reduce the risk of software rework, unexpected development costs, and project delays.
Vortex can integrate with any level of your infrastructure, depending on your needs, resources, and levels of expertise.
Vortex has been validated and field tested over and over again by industry leaders who can all attest to the fact that
Out-of-the-box plug and play capabilities
VHL and plug-ins
SDK
The Vortex high-level interface
At the code level, your technical
Vortex software and Vortex
(VHL) allows developers to code
experts can use the Vortex SDK
simulators both integrate with and
modifications at a higher level of
to enrich the default set of Vortex
plug into a number of de facto
abstraction, in order to control the
features (e.g., to modify simulation
standards and third-party COTS
behavior of complex mechanisms
parameters). Through the Vortex
software (Vega Prime, OpenFlight
(e.g., vehicles, robots, cranes), or
SDK, it’s possible to connect to any
files,OpenSceneGraph’s IVE file
to add specific custom behaviors
software or hardware architecture,
format, Blueberry3D dynamic
(e.g., ABS brake systems, specific
from the very simple to the
terrain).
gear boxes). It includes all inputs,
extremely complex.
outputs, and parameterization values. At the design level, developers can create and deploy additional plug-in modules for Vortex via the C/C++ and Python frameworks.
Support for all your ground vehicle requirements Vortex provides highly realistic ground vehicle simulations to meet the needs of today’s defense training developers, including: advanced models for wheels, powertrain, engine, suspension, brakes, and tracks accurate prediction of vehicle behavior, including skidding, fish-tailings, and rollover accurate performance over varying terrain and in multiple weather conditions the ability to create mechanical faults to assess operator reactions and real-world skills realistic collisions with objects in the virtual world, and realistic consequences completely configurable vehicles with trailers, turrets, and other mechanical systems
Ground vehicle training: it’s not a game to us. If the simulation isn’t right, the training won’t be right either. That’s why game physics engines are a poor alternative to dedicated ground vehicle simulation software and validated multi-body dynamics. What appears at first glance to be a cheaper, faster option turns out to be a time-sink that fails on a number of critical counts, including seamless integration in large architectures, accuracy, ability to validate, and maintainability. While many projects are leveraging the immersive visual effects of game engines, they rely on Vortex to add validated accuracy and systems integration for vehicles and robotics. One of the reasons many organizations are replacing game physics with Vortex multi-body dynamics comes down to reliability and expertise. Game physics engines
A complete range of military vehicles and environments
lack validation tools and the expert support to build proven vehicle dynamics models. Game physics are simply not acceptable for high-fidelity simulation, and
Vortex supports a full range of tactical wheeled and
introduce unsuitable risk. This is not surprising, as they
tracked vehicles, specialty vehicles, and non-tactical
were designed for games—in other words, fast (not
vehicles with various add-ons, operating in multiple
accurate) simulation of physics for entertainment. Another
environments.
serious problem is that the gaming industry does not
With Vortex, vehicle behavior within the virtual world is completely accurate, and includes driving, climbing, fording streams, colliding with other objects, and reacting to the environment and vehicle faults/malfunctions (e.g., brake failures, engine overheating).
support the complex issues around delivery of defensegrade simulation: project integration, validation, and long-term maintainability.
Vortex: field-tested software that adapts to your project requirements Thanks to its small solution footprint, Vortex easily integrates with existing programs, systems, and architectures—meaning that critical training software can be set up and delivered quickly, and adapted to changing parameters as required.
Vortex within your application architecture
Modular vehicle assembly Unlike other simulation platforms, Vortex is based on multi-body dynamics, which enables easy coupling of additional mechanisms to your vehicles, such as trailers, turrets, sensors, and other objects. All Vortex vehicle assemblies are based on mechanisms composed of rigid bodies, along with control interfaces, standardized input/outputs, and interactive visualization features based on OpenFlight files.
Vehicle verification and validation features
Vortex features a wide range of unique VEHICLE SIMULATION capabilities:
Vortex provides a testing framework so that vehicle performance can be consistently measured for purposes of regression testing, verification, and validation. Well-defined outputs allow comparison with mathematical models of vehicle behavior, data from field measurements, and project requirements. Vortex also provides developers with an interactive test environment where mechanisms can be edited and tested before being deployed in a larger simulation environment.
Vortex high-level (VHL) interface The VHL API is a simple data-driven description language that facilitates communication between mechanisms and other software and hardware
Unlimited potential to create any vehicle type or variant, from LAVs to tanks and EOD robots Realistic track/tire/ surface behavior
simulator components. VHL acts as an intermediation layer where the interface to a mechanism is exposed in order to accelerate testing and development. Vortex provides multiple interfaces for each mechanism, which allows system integrators to make available to end users only those inputs and parameters that are within the mechanism’s verified range.
Vortex Editor
Plugin architecture to allow add-ons for mine-rollers, bridges, armor kits, etc.
The Vortex Editor has been designed to accelerate the development of Vortex applications. It allows you to modify and create Vortex mechanisms and Vortex elements through a complete set of tools. These tools reside in various GUIs, allowing you to visually parameterize and define user applications.
Technical refresh throughout simulator lifecycle Along with on-site installation and training, Vortex is bundled with complete customer care to protect your investment, including hardware maintenance and ongoing simulator upgrades.
Complex and true-to-life vehicle maneuvers and collisions
A proven track record in defense Cassidian selects Vortex for EOD robot training simulation
RUAG Defence selects Vortex for virtual driver training
Cassidian uses Vortex as the dynamics simulation engine for
RUAG Defence selected Vortex to power its next
its EOD robotics training simulation application. Cassidian
generation of virtual vehicle trainers for its fidelity,
selected Vortex after a review process comparing a wide
modularity, and ease of deployment.
range of open source and commercial physics engines, citing the “much higher accuracy� of the Vortex engine, and its robust, stable performance as being among the qualities that set Vortex apart from the alternatives.
Vortex is being deployed for vehicle simulation of battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles in virtual urban, open terrain, and peace support operations.
Reduce time-to-delivery, and extend your capabilities now Vortex is full-featured right off the shelf, which means
From experience, we have proven that the solution is
ground vehicle simulations can be up and running
robust, secure, and reliable.
quickly—with no downtime due to software re-work or development.
Vortex is a commercial product that is aggressively developed and supported, including new features every
Because Vortex is designed from the ground up to flexibly
year. You can count on regular Vortex releases, technical
and realistically simulate the toughest conditions, you can
support, and documentation. It integrates with standard
re-use, tailor, and scale the software to meet different
industry tools such as Vega Prime, OpenSceneGraph,
needs now and in the future. We can also rapidly
and others.
customize the software to suit your unique requirements.
Elbit Systems uses Vortex for defense vehicle simulation capabilities
CONTEX selects Vortex to drive M113 armored personnel carrier simulator
Elbit Systems uses Vortex to supply vehicle simulation
California-based CONTEX Engineering International was
capabilities for defense vehicle simulation projects. It
contracted to develop a fully featured M113 simulator
is used for an advanced training system, comprising
for a customer needing to train hundreds of drivers
driving simulators for various armored vehicles (tracked
on the M113 armored personnel carrier.
and wheeled). The Vortex team delivered its vehicle simulation toolkit along with vehicle development services, verification and tuning against instrumented data, and subject-matter expert (SME) validation. Vortex simulates vehicle driving, powertrain, braking systems, fuel consumption, suspension, collisions, rollovers, and vehicle malfunctions.
To develop the vehicle dynamics, CONTEX initially considered using in-house resources. However, they soon realized there were many constraints to this approach. After a short evaluation period, CONTEX concluded that “Vortex could handle the non-linear physics better than any other product. We were looking for extremely high fidelity in multiple on and off-road scenarios, and Vortex handled driving phenomena such as obstacles, drops in terrain, and collisions better than any other solution.”
“The product and technical support from the Vortex team have been outstanding. The team is quick to respond and provides very helpful technical analysis to our questions.”
“Vortex has been a central component of our software. The fidelity of the vehicle dynamics and the tire terrain collision, combined with real-time performance, were significant factors in preparing us for the DARPA Grand Challenge.”
Oliver Albrecht,
Red Whittaker,
Lead Engineer, Cassidian
Red Team Racing, Carnegie Mellon University
CM Labs is a committed thought leader in the defense sector. We participate actively in NATO discussion groups, and have driven topics of vital concern to training groups, including disengagement and the potential for “negative training” caused by unverified models, and the drawbacks of the empirical “black box” approach to vehicle modeling. Other discussion topics have addressed the crucial impact of vehicle/environment interactions on training efficiency, and the need to reuse existing content to efficiently meet the needs of today’s shrinking defense training budgets.
About CM Labs Simulations Inc. For over 15 years, CM Labs has provided dynamics-based simulation solutions and services to organizations around the world. With a long history in the real-time visualsimulation and gaming industries, CM Labs produces feature-rich simulation capabilities that set the industry standard for interactive 3D dynamics and simulated mechanical equipment behavior. The CM Labs team features experts with decades of experience and wide-ranging backgrounds in training, vehicle dynamics, heavy equipment, and robotics. With proven experience ranging from deep-sea to space projects, engineers, scientists and computing professionals—many with PhDs and master’s degrees —excel at all aspects of visual simulation, from initial concept and R&D, to integration, training, and beyond. Through Vortex, its flagship simulation software, CM Labs provides capabilities for training simulators, mission rehearsal, serious games, virtual prototyping, and testing. Vortex customers include Cassidian, CAE, Honda, Elbit Systems, L-3, Lockheed Martin, NASA, RUAG, and over 100 other leading organizations.
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