GPU Intensive Modular Cluster Rendering for Hardware In-the-Loop Sensor Simulation

To address the U.S. Army need for physics-based real-time laser sensor scene generation, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Cluster Accelerated Simulation Modular Infrared (CASMIR) system. This system is based on a modular CPU/GPU rendering cluster and generalized GPU rendering algorithms for real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) scene generation for active laser sensors. The CASMIR system will be a cost-effective and highly robust and accurate Lidar/LADAR simulator with accurate modeling of tactical and strategic targets, controllable environments and clutters, and flexible selection of sensor properties. In Phase I POC demonstrated the feasibility of CASMIR by developing a three-node parallel sensor scene generation system based on COTS graphics hardware and POC simulation software. The overall processing speed is increased by over 70% compared to existing conventional rendering system. In Phase II POC will develop a full-scale 32-node CASMIR system for real-time physics-based laser sensor simulation, evaluate it by computing real-time imagery in the near-infrared band, compare results to non-real-time predictive scene data, and demonstrate it in a simulation environment. The system will be modular, scalable, and cost-effective (<$50k for supercomputer-comparable hardware).