Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Victoria Connor, Denbo-Crichton School Innovation Lab teacher, shows a STEM student a...... read more read more
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When not leading virtual reality training on the KC-46A Pegasus aircraft, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott Seal, 305th Maintenance Group KC-46 VR training lead and hydraulics instructor, brings the world of immersive technology to local students in science, technology, engineering and math summer programs and camps.
Seal demonstrated high-tech VR simulators and his augmented reality (AR) creations to STEM students in the Science and Technology Academies Reinforcing Basic Aviation and Space Exploration program, a Department of Defense youth program at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, and at Denbo-Crichton School, Browns Mills, New Jersey. Seal also assisted with robotics activities and was instrumental in getting VR headsets up and running for the students.
“The Summer STEM program at Pemberton Township Schools experienced an incredible boost in innovation and excitement thanks to Tech. Sgt. Seal,” said Victoria Conner, Denbo-Crichton School Innovation Lab teacher. “He demonstrated how the immersive tools he develops benefit the men and women in the military, enhancing their skills and preparing them for real-world challenges. His visit was a transformative moment…students were captivated by his demonstrations.”
When Seal discovered that the JB MDL STARBASE program had purchased VR headsets but were not able to operate them, he not only got them working, but he showed the students how to use them and even built a custom VR STARBASE hangar for their headsets.
“VR is not part of our main curriculum, so it was extremely helpful to have his assistance in implementing the headsets with students,” said Christina Dorsey, JB MDL STARBASE director. “As a DoD youth program that engages civilian and military personnel to discuss their careers, it was great to have him explain to students how he taught himself how to create many of the images that he utilizes.”
Seal’s journey toward becoming skilled in immersive technology began years ago when he discovered a need for a custom cowboy boot to fit over an ankle foot orthosis worn by a friend’s son. Seal bought a 3D scanner and printer and taught himself how to successfully create the custom boot to fit over the brace.
“At the time, I was a KC-10 Extender (aircraft) hydraulics instructor and was assigned as an alternate to the new VR program at the schoolhouse, but I did not know anything about VR and had never tried it,” Seal said.
“So I decided to buy an oculus Quest 2 and get more familiar with VR and video games. I got hooked right away.”
Seal discovered he could use his knowledge of 3D modeling in VR and learned how to import his models into a computer aided design program. He imported a one-to-one scale model of the building layout he made months earlier when learning how to 3D model and was able to travel through the model as if he was really in the building. That, in turn, motivated Seal to develop his own VR trainers for the KC-46s.
“We only had one or two KC-46s at the time, so it was hard to get any hands-on training, and we had no aircraft trainers in the schoolhouse,” Seal said. “So I wanted to learn how to create my own VR trainers.”
Once again, Seal taught himself by learning how to code and use a gaming engine to create the trainers. He also discovered AR during that time and that it would work on his phone. He proceeded to create a primitive 3D model of a KC-10 drogue hose and an AR phone app that allowed him to walk around the drogue hose as if it was floating in front of him.
Three years later, Seal is still designing VR trainers but explains that the Air Force tends to contract to companies to create them instead of using ones internally produced due to sustainability issues.
“If I create a VR trainer today and get orders in a month and they need to get the program for the VR trainer changed, I wouldn’t be there to update it,” Seal said.
That led Seal to gain more self-education in immersive technology geared towards STEM programs. Based on the high level of enthusiasm and positive responses from students and teachers to his VR and AR demonstrations and the hands-on involvement he provided them, Seal plans to continue to volunteer for STEM camps and assist with anything they may need.
In the interim, Seal is using his expertise in immersive technology to assist other units at JB MDL in starting their own VR training rooms and to obtain VR models essential for training. He has also been asked to make a video of his creations to present at the 2025 Department of the Air Force Modeling and Simulations Summit in Orlando, Florida.
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2024 15:36 |
| Story ID: | 486987 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 73 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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