Development lightmap rendering technology to advance infrared simulation capabilities for training applications

Recent technology advances have enabled the simulation community to achieve greater realism in virtual training environments. As new methods for synthetic image generation are developed, the lack of readily available supporting data to populate these specialized techniques limits their implementation. Currently the capability is not available to efficiently generate enhanced temporal energy maps (TEM) that can supply advanced modeling methods with data to generate improved non-visual environment representations. Based on initiatives to produce synthetic visual aerial and ground surface imagery, ground surface material mobility masks, and infrared material maps, we propose to enhance the content and production of infrared material maps to generate TEMs. Our research will demonstrate the feasibility of creating plausible visible and IR artifact free material maps while demonstrating the ability to support physically-based game-engine dynamic lighting. We will extend the capabilities to produce realistic multispectral lighting while handling multispectral material interactions and reflections (visible and IR) by incorporating the multispectral sun-sky illumination maps developed by UCF. Combining the artifact free material maps with the multispectral sun-sky illumination and material interactions will accurately simulate sensor data and information usable by Air Force (AF) IR simulation models for use in intelligence officer training.