The proposed project will result in an anthropometrically realistic and viable simulator for the testing, evaluation, and validation of firearms and associated ammunition. The approach being taken to achieve the end device is to capture both the active and reactive system loads and dynamics of both the weapon system and the human tester. These data, along with their temporal inter-dependencies, will be analyzed using high fidelity modeling, empirical data collection, and high speed visual motion capture technologies to ensure the systems interface between the firearm and the electro-mechanical human firing system analog represent the realistic, time-dependent responses experienced by human testers. The TRL-4 high fidelity model resulting from the Phase I effort will be validated with real user loads and dynamics and will serve as the basis for generating the operational and design specification for the Phase II development effort. After the virtual model is refined using additional data during Phase II, a physical device will be designed, constructed, and validated against human testers. It is anticipated that the outcome of Phase II will be a TRL-8 device tailored for use by NFTTU. The Phase II device will enter service at the end of Phase II as the initial step toward final product transition to TRL-9.
