Módulo 19 - Centro de Instrução de Blindados (CI Bld)

Hello, this is the presentation of the history of technological innovation and the evolution of simulation. As goals, we have the presentation of some definitions, as well as the main technological evolutions that influenced the simulation area. To do this, we will follow the following summary.

We will make a brief introduction of the definitions, then moving on to the main technological evolutions and the development of simulation. Then, we will end with a brief conclusion on the subject. It is interesting to bring some definitions because, many times, in a conversation, we use a term that can be interpreted differently among the people in this conversation.

So, basically, here we will bring the definitions of the dictionaries. For example, the first definition of "technology" can be found in the dictionaries as "general theory and/or systematic studies on techniques, processes, methods, means and instruments of one or more professions or domains of human activity". In addition, it can also be described as "science whose object is the application of technical and scientific knowledge for industrial and commercial purposes" or "a set of technical terms of an art or a science".

In summary, technology is defined as "a theory, study or set of knowledge about a certain human activity". As for innovation, we can find the following definitions. "Act or effect of innovation", "what constitutes something new", "a novelty" or "a set of technical terms of an art or a science", "development and use of new products, methods or concepts".

In summary, it is interesting to highlight that innovation occurs when an invention brings an economic return. So, it is linked to the notion of economic viability. Innovation is always economically viable.

So, we will work with this concept of innovation. When we talk about simulation, the dictionary itself presents several definitions, such as "the act or effect of simulating", "a pretense", "a disguise", "a false appearance", "an imitation" or even "test or experience that intends to produce the conditions of real events or simulation", such as "form of training or preparation". And we will highlight this last definition, because it is in it that we will base our presentation.

So, when we talk about simulation, we are talking about the representation of reality for the purpose of training or preparation. As for the simulator, we have two definitions. "The act or effect of simulating" and "the device capable of reproducing the behavior of a device or a body that intends to follow evolution".

In other words, it is that device that we will simulate the desired behaviors for the purpose of studies or just to observe, to follow evolution. Now, we will present the main innovations throughout the history of humanity. We can initially mention the manufacture of stone tools made by man more than 2 million years ago.

Such practice allowed man to manipulate more efficiently the environment that was inserted. After that, we have the domain of fire by man, which occurred between 1. 7 million and 400 thousand years ago.

Such fact allows man to prepare various types of food, illuminate environments, in addition to improving his defenses against predators. This will significantly impact the life of man at that time and contribute to his evolution. Another significant innovation took place around 10,000 years before Christ, where man domesticated plants and animals, changing his lifestyle again.

He became a nomad, a hunter-gatherer, in order to settle for more time in certain regions. This will allow the creation of an excedent of food, as well as the development of increasingly advanced techniques in agriculture. The invention of the wheel is another great human innovation that took place around 4,000 years before Christ.

The wheel was fundamental for the evolution of transport and work in the field. After that, we can mention writing as a great innovation. It took place around 3,500 years before Christ.

Writing allowed the registration of various information and a new way of transmitting knowledge. In addition, prehistory presents several innovations that were fundamental to human evolution, directly modifying the lifestyle. For example, the creation of clothes and shelters, which allowed the survival of man in adverse climates, such as cold and extreme cold.

We also have the development of new weapons and hunting tools, which will increase the efficiency of man in hunting, obtaining more food and clothing for the production of clothing. In addition, we also have the development of language, not only written language, but also verbal communication, which allows the cooperation of a greater number of individuals, sharing knowledge and thus developing local culture and society. Now, leaving prehistory, we can talk about industrial revolutions, because they mark periods of great transformations, both technological and socio-economic and cultural, of humanity.

Industrial revolutions are marked by the introduction of new technologies that will significantly change the way of life of society. In this sense, the first industrial revolution took place in the context of the mechanization of the textile industry. As the main technologies introduced at the time, we can mention the development of the jenny, which was the first threading machine, which increased the production of threads at the time, the introduction of the mechanical threading and the steam machine, which allowed the automation and mechanization of factories, having as one of its consequences the increase in the availability of new products in the market.

In addition, we also have the evolution of steel and iron mass production. Still in the context of the first industrial revolution, we cannot fail to mention Charles Babbage, who can be considered a grandfather of computing. In 1822, he presented a project of a machine to solve polynomial equations, which would then be called a differential machine.

It would then allow the construction of logarithmic tables, which was one of the biggest problems of the time. Thus, in 1823, Charles Babbage received funding from the British government to develop a machine that could solve any type of calculation. It was only in 1834 that he began the development of the so-called analytical machine.

The analytical machine itself could be considered the first development of a computer. It would allow the execution of several commands through the insertion of perforated cards. It should be noted that the equipment and technologies available at the time were not enough for the construction of machines, so both the analytical machine and the differential machine were not built or were only partially built at the time.

Another personality that deserves to be highlighted is that of Augusta King, Countess of Lovelace. She, enthusiastic about Babbage's work, helped the researcher mainly in the translation of documents. She designed programs for the machine designed by Babbage, thus being considered one of the pioneers of programming in history.

The scientist George Boole, who in 1847 created the binary system, also deserves to be highlighted. This system is responsible for the basis of calculation of all modern computers. In addition, it should be noted that in 1880 Hermann Hollerith created the first electromechanical data processor.

Moving on to the Industrial Revolutions, we have the Second Industrial Revolution, which is marked by the introduction of electricity and the internal combustion engine. The main technologies that emerged at this time, in addition to electricity and the internal combustion engine, are the use of oil as a new source of energy, the creation of radio, telephone and cinema, which will allow remote communication as well as the transmission of sounds and images to the public. In addition, it is important to highlight the emergence of the valve, the diode and triode valves, which are fundamental cornerstones in the development of electronics.

In this context, it is worth highlighting the figure of Alan Turing, who is known internationally for decoding German messages during the Second World War. Turing improved Babbage's ideas, thus creating the Turing machine, which is a theoretical model used to implement all the logical and mathematical aspects of a computer, regardless of how it is built. After completing his studies in the United States, Turing was called to work on breaking codes and enigmas for the British government.

Thus, in 1940, the British managed to decode the first German messages. It is worth noting here that these German messages used the Enigma machine, developed to encrypt German communications during the Second World War. Thus, only with the creation of the DeBomb machine by Turing's team, they were able to decode the messages of the German machine in a timely manner, so that it could be used by the Allied Forces.

In 1946, we have the presentation of ENIAC, which is the first digital electronic computer in the world. It was developed at the request of the US Army for the application in its ballistic laboratory. The research in ballistics requires complex mathematical calculations, which would then be done by means of this ultramodern computer at the time.

It is interesting to mention the dimensions of this computer. It occupied an entire room and weighed more than 30 tons. At the time, it used perforated cards as a software.

In addition, it cost around $ 500,000 at the time, approximately $ 6 million today. In addition, it had around 70,000 resistors and 18,000 vacuum valves, which consumed around 200,000 watts of energy. Speaking of computers, it is important to highlight the main technologies of the time that allowed the development of the first computers.

In 1930, Vannevar Bush developed a computer using radio valves. It is interesting to say that this is not a large-scale computer of the ENIAC type. And these valves that he used gave problems every time an insect touched it, giving rise to what we call a computer bug today.

In addition, it is worth mentioning that in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the first transistors were developed and manufactured on a large scale. Thus, in 1956, the first computer that used transistors was created. It was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

At the height of the third industrial revolution, we have the striking presence of IT and microelectronics as basic technologies of this revolution. Thus, we can cite important innovations in this period, such as the development of the laser, the creation of new, faster and more powerful computers, the creation of the Internet, the development of robotics, biotechnology and artificial intelligence. It is interesting to note that these technologies, such as laser, computers and artificial intelligence, are key parts in the use of today's simulators.

We can note that with the passage of time, technological innovations and revolutions occur more and more rapidly. Thus, we already have the terms of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Fifth, Sixth and even some already speak of the Seventh Industrial Revolution. However, we will stop here with technologies from the 2010s and introduce the notion of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is also known as Industry 4.

0. Industry 4. 0 converges digital and physical technologies.

It encompasses the technologies of the Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, 3D printing and advanced robotics. With the focus on human-machine collaboration and sustainability, the concept of the Fifth Industrial Revolution arises. The technologies that are inherent to this concept would be the generative artificial intelligence, quantum computing, augmented and virtual reality, blockchain, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

Some specialists already point to the future with a focus on human-machine fusion and general artificial intelligence, which will be called the Sixth Industrial Revolution. The main technologies to be treated in this future will be general artificial intelligence, which deals with systems of artificial intelligence equivalent to human, machine interface and brain, bioengineering and nanotechnology, simulated reality and space travel. Now we will move on to the evolution of simulation.

It is interesting to think that imitation is part of human nature. Thus, we can say that simulation is an activity as old as man. Thus, as the first simulators of antiquity, we can mention the anatomical models that represented with wax or other materials the human body for the studies of anatomy.

Among them, we highlight the models of leaves and clay found in India, which were used to design the nasal reconstruction. This dates back to 600 BC. Another type of ancient simulator are also the mechanisms that represented the movements of planets, called planetariums.

The most famous of them is the known planetarium of Archimedes. Already in the Middle Ages, we have reports of medieval robots, which dealt with complex mechanisms that reproduced and imitated animals, reproducing mechanical sounds and movements. In addition, there were also described thrones that rose and descended automatically.

In this period, the glasses, astronomical clocks and war machines emerged. Devices that simulated the behavior of weapons and fortifications for military training purposes. In the modern era, which is between the 15th and 18th centuries, we have the emergence of nautical cards.

They are considered the first simulators of navigation. In addition, we have the development of the first hydraulic models, devices that demonstrated the principles of hydraulics. As an example, we have the Pascal Blaise machine.

On the other hand, in the field of anatomy, the models have become more and more detailed, evolving a lot for the techniques of medical study. It was also at this time that the first flight simulators were developed. At this time, it was the equipment that produced the flight sensations for pilot training.

In this way, it is worth noting the figure of Leonardo da Vinci, a great inventor. He idealized several simulators, such as the robot, which was used to reproduce and study the movements of the human body. He also idealized a device that protected the infantry, which became the so-called tank.

He was also one of the first idealizers of airplanes and helicopters. It is interesting to note that, since ancient times, the armies made calculations to predict the results of combat and the force needed to defeat the enemies. Thus, in the contemporary era, we will have a great advance in war technologies and also the development of simulators aimed at military activities.

Still in the 19th century, the Prussian army created the war game, which was a constructive simulator used in the studies of tactics and military training. As for the evolution of the war simulation, we see that it goes side by side with the evolution of equipment. Thus, with the introduction of the combat vehicle during the First World War, it was in 1916 that the first tank simulator was created.

It is interesting to note that years later, in the 1930s, there was a great evolution of these simulators, where Germany and the Soviet Union developed systems with hydraulic actuators that reproduced movements identical to those of the tank. In parallel to the development of the combat vehicles, aviation also made great advances. The most realistic flight simulators began to be developed from the end of the 1920s and the beginning of the 1930s, where we can mention the Link Trainer, which can be considered the first flight simulator with movement and integration with the communication system between the instructor's station and the pilot.

In addition, from the 1950s, computer software began to emerge, aimed at the simulation area. These softwares simulate various systems and processes, from games to climate models. It was also around the 1950s and 1960s that the automotive driving simulators began to enter production and become popular, which were introduced in several high schools around the world.

During the second half of the 20th century, simulation accompanied the evolution of technologies in the field of science, computing and electronics. Thus, we highlight, for example, that in the 1950s, simulators with analog computers were introduced, thus allowing a more precise and controlled simulation of the environment. In the 1960s, with the introduction of digital computers, simulators gained greater realism and flexibility.

Meanwhile, in the 1970s, tank simulators with a 3D visualization system and hydraulic actuators were introduced, providing a much more immersive training experience. It was also in this period that the US Army began to introduce the laser in combat simulation. In the 1980s, the first simulators that used virtual reality began to emerge, thus allowing training in more realistic and detailed virtual environments.

Thus, in the 1990s, with the popularization of the computer network, new tank simulators were developed, allowing the integration between them, where several soldiers can train in the same virtual environment at the same time. Accompanying the computational development and the evolution of electronics, it is noteworthy the great leap of software throughout the history of simulation development. In the 1980s, Microsoft launched the first flight simulation software, Flight Simulator, which is a well-known game that has been evolving over time.

In addition, in 1991, we have the launch of the M1 Abrams game for the Sega Genesis, which is known here in Brazil as Mega Drve. So we see that we already have in the civil market softwares that will bring a simulation, a combat experience. With this, the armies begin to order products for specific training, and so we create a new market for these softwares.

And there is an example of this, of the companies that make this transition, that will work in this direction, we have the companies Bohemia Interactive and Async Games standing out in the scenario. The softwares of these companies are used by several armed forces in the world. The highlights are Virtual Better Space and Steel Beasts, respectively, from the companies Bohemia Interactive and Async Games.

In this slide, we can see the evolution of VBS software, known as Virtual Better Space, from Bohemia. It mainly shows the graphical evolution of the software, but we can also see that there is an evolution of the peripheral and the immersion of the students. With the advent of the 21st century, we have a conversion of these technologies for the aggregation and immersion of the students, of the users.

So the new simulators will seek to work all the senses of the human body, or most of them, in order to create a much more realistic feeling of the simulators' performance. Based on what we have seen of technological evolutions, these simulators will then add the artificial intelligence, the microprocessing of the actors, they will take advantage of everything, including the feedback system, to immerse the user more and more. The ever-growing trend in the world is to integrate more and more different types of simulators for military training.

So, nowadays, we can already find some fully sensorized training fields, where we integrate various types of software and hardware for military training. With this big leap in the area of ​​simulation, it is interesting to leave some simulation concepts here. So, speaking of types of simulation that exist today, we have the physical simulation, which is focused on physical models to replicate the behavior of a real system.

We also have the computational simulation, which is nothing more than the use of software to create virtual models of a real system. There is also the real-time simulation, which simulates the behavior of the system in real time, like a flight simulator, for example. In it, all entries are processed in real time.

As soon as they are received, they are processed and generate an effect. Another field of simulation, or type of simulation, is the simulation of discrete events. It simulates events that occur at specific times, like a bank line simulator, for example, or traffic control.

Finally, we can also talk about the simulation of continuous systems, which simulates, as the name implies, systems that change continuously over time, such as a climate simulator, for example. In the military environment, the simulation is divided into three types. We have the live simulation, the virtual simulation and the constructive simulation.

The live simulation is the one where we use equipment or real systems. We simulate the interaction with the real environment through real equipment and operators. In other words, in it, both the equipment and the environment are real.

Only the interaction is simulated. The virtual simulation uses a real environment with virtualized systems. Thus, both the equipment and the environment are virtual, they are simulated.

Only the operator, the one who is conducting the simulation, is real. Finally, the constructive simulation simulates the behavior of the equipment, the systems, the operators and the environment. In other words, in it, everything is simulated, except for the general order.

For example, in a constructive simulation exercise, the commander, who is a real operator, gives an order to his garrison, so that he fulfills a certain objective. This objective will be fulfilled through an artificial intelligence that will control the fractions. Finally, we can see that technological evolutions bring great advances in the area of ​​simulation, which has as benefits safety, efficiency, precision, comprehension and the gain in training of those involved.

Thus, we also see that in the future technological evolution will allow an ever greater immersion of the simulators, bringing them closer to reality. I believe that for the future, the possibility of working all the senses of the body is a goal of simulation. Thank you for everyone's presence.

Thank you for your attention.