The University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) has received an Epic MegaGrant that will be used to explore the integration of its virtual human, Santos, with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine.

Maj. Gen. Stewart Wallace had been away from the University of Iowa for nearly 50 years while serving as an Army officer and later an executive in the defense industry. He has returned to become one of the biggest advocates for the Iowa Technology Institute, helping build relationships with the Department of Defense and military leaders.

Advancements in digital human modeling and simulation have expanded opportunities for the United States Armed Forces, video game makers, and manufacturers to improve human performance and enhance realism in virtual environments, presenters relayed during the University of Iowa Technology Institute’s (ITI) second annual Iowa Virtual Human Summit.

The University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) is convening experts from the U.S. Army, Epic Games, academia, and other sectors to explore the progress and potential of mature virtual human (or digital twin) technology for improving physical and non-physical components of human performance.

A relationship forged between University of Iowa Technology Institute (ITI) and Titus Human Performance at the 2019 Defense Strategies Institute’s Human Performance & Biosystems Summit in Washington D.C. quickly evolved into a productive public-private partnership leveraging each other’s capabilities to tackle projects neither could alone.

Sonalysts, Inc. is teamed with University of Iowa Technology Institute on an Army Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Contract to Address “Physical Monitoring Techniques to Improve Warfighter Performance.”  

Technology born out of military-funded research in the University of Iowa’s Virtual Soldier Research Program (VSR) soon may be used in schools, hospitals, stores, and other places to improve safety.

After 15 years of work, digital avatars are finally maturing to a place where researchers can “design a human” to test protective equipment for military personnel, University of Iowa researchers said Wednesday.

The need for better-fitting body armor and PPE not just for soldiers, but for women and smaller-stature men in a variety of dangerous fields was the focus of the first annual Iowa Virtual Human Summit.

Virtual event on Aug. 12 to examine how a ‘digital twin’ can reduce injuries through better designed female body armor.