The centerpiece of F6 Labs is the Live-Fire Interactive Tactical Training Tool (LFITT). It is a digitally-based, scenario-driven system that enables law enforcement officers, Homeland Security, federal agents, SWAT unit personnel, and soldiers to engage in immersive interactive digital scenarios (static, animated, video and green screen) with their own service weapons and ammunition.
The LFITT, developed with partners in Europe, is in service with the some of the world’s top-tier special operations and counter terrorist forces, including Germany’s Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG-9) and Poland’s Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego (GROM), as well as with city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The system originated in Germany in the 1990s as a result of an effort to provide a nationally mandated specification as to how law enforcement professional would be qualified and trained with their service firearms, submachine guns, and assault rifles. The new system was intended to add multi-dimensional realism and flexibility to the training; the new system was conceived to provide interactivity between the officer and scenario-driven judgmental. The conclusion of this effort was the establishment of a dynamic and safe vessel inside which law enforcement officers could develop, hone, and advance their tactical proficiency. The effort created a minimum technological and range safety standard to be maintained on national and continental levels.
The LFITT consists of six (6) major technological components which combine to create interactive training:
- A state-of-the-art interactive range software, terminal computer, and projector system, which both displays targets and processes target reactions when shot.
- An Infra-Red Detection System, which detects shots on target and instantly feeds back shot information to the terminal system for scoring (on a static target), or interactivity purposes.
- Patented Shoot Screen: Interactive shooting drills and video scenarios are broadcast onto a two layer “shoot screen”; made of a proprietary high tensile strength paper.
- Laser (non live-fire) training capabilities. Laser based training weapons are inter operable with the live-fire component, and all system interactivity is the same for laser or live fire.
- Comprehensive content integration system. New training content such as new targets can be dropped into the system on-demand.
- Green screen interactivity modules to enable scenario creation and live-fire/laser role play between the training cadre.
The LFITT content integration suite is a user-friendly system designed to take standard image or video files, and apply them for use within the F6 range system. Images, animations, and videos are incorporated into the system software seamlessly, where they are designated with a specific Target Interaction Value Assignment (TIVA). The TIVA component is a uniquely flexible tool that indicates what the “hit” value will be when a bullet (or a laser signal) perforates (or engages) a specific location on the target screen. the terminal system uses this info to automatically score targets, or have a target in a video scenario react to being hit. As a result, any and all digital image types, from any kind of media device can be utilized for content creation. Interactive video-scenarios can be filmed with off the shelf cameras available in any retail location, and the resultant media assets do not require any special processing.