Andy Parkin

Portable maritime simulation is gaining attention because it speaks to a problem the industry already knows well: simulator access is valuable, but it is often limited by location, scheduling, cost and availability. At events and demonstrations, the reaction to VASCO is usually immediate. Put someone inside the bridge environment and the potential becomes clear. They can see how a bridge team might practise ColRegs, communication, situational awareness and decision-making in a controlled,...

Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) has selected VASCO in a Box (VIAB) to bring Virtual Reality (VR) bridge training aboard its new training vessel, State of Maine, extending simulator-based learning into an operational sea environment. Top-down view of the VASCO in a Box (VIAB) showcasing neatly organised components, including a configured laptop with VASCO Planner Tool, local server, portable router for dedicated LAN, power supplies, 4 Meta Quest 3 headsets, hand controllers, and a charging lead. ...

When the U.S. Navy adopts a training methodology, it is rarely driven by novelty. It is driven by operational necessity. Complex operating environments, constrained time, geographically dispersed crews, and the need for consistent standards, leave little room for training approaches that are difficult to scale or slow to deploy. Against that backdrop, the Navy’s growing use of portable, immersive technology was evidenced recently on USS Theodore Roosevelt. Training No Longer Lives in One...