Visual Bridge Ship-handling Simulator

The main Visual Bridge Ship-handling Simulator (VBSS) located at the Academy has been upgraded to a modified Kongsberg Maritime POLARIS™ system using a Force Technology (formerly Danish Maritime Institute) Den-Mark 1 Mathematical Model and MultiGen-Paradigm Image Generation, and integrated with the facility’s Machinery Control System Simulator (MCSS) software. Utilizing nine Davis 3D-Perception DLP (Digital Light Projection) projectors, a 240° field of view visual scene (with a radius of 29 feet), additional aft visual scene views (supplying an added 53 degrees of view to the rear of the vessel), an extensive bridge mockup complete with a full complement of equipment, environmental effects (consisting of wind, water current, depth, and bank forces), and high-fidelity own ship and passing ship hydrodynamic effects, the system realistically presents the total marine scene.

The VBSS provides the pilot or watch-stander with a visual representation of various harbors as seen from the bridge of a vessel, including landmasses, navigational aids, traffic ships and miscellaneous buildings and structures. Realistic radar images, fathometer readings, and audio cues (depicting ship sounds, buoy sounds, and environmental and weather-related sounds) aid in completing the scene. In addition, a pair of Virtual Reality (VR) binoculars provide over-the-side visualization.

Midshipmen at work in the Main VBSS Simulator Wheelhouse

Midshipmen training and education using this simulator focuses predominantly on senior students and a training and watchstanding course required for licensing and U.S. Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) competency assessments.

A secondary integrated VBSS (with a 186° field of view visual scene, and three flat-panel displays and peripheral computer mouse as the man-machine control interfaces) now provides interconnected operation and total ship-handling interaction between the two simulators. Currently, there are twelve (12) geographic databases available for use on each of the VBSS simulators.

An Instructor's Control Station is used to control the various simulations and monitor the activities of the students at either of the VBSS locations.

In addition, the main Bridge Simulator has been fully integrated with the facility’s Machinery Control System Simulator (MCSS), or Engine Room Simulator. Operations by the bridge team on the main VBSS can now impact team operations of the MCSS, and vice versa. When interconnected, the VBSS response is in accordance with the MCSS models, which have been accurately modeled and validated -- making the CAORF Ship Operation Center (SOC) the most sophisticated simulator-based learning environment available in the world.

Secondary VBSS Simulator

VBSS Control Station