Current News

Washington, DC: PeopleVisionFX created a unique trade show exhibit for the U.S. Army Sustainment Command (ASC) for the Association of the United States Army meeting, October 5-7, 2009. The display, the “ASC Mission Portal” was a dramatic presentation device that explained the complex ASC mission in an impact and memorable format.

Attendees were greeted by a large, circular archway with a ramp leading up to the threshold. The look was futuristic, industrial and powerful but also ancient and timeless. Inside the portal there was a mysterious darkness. To the right of the ramp leading to the Portal, there was an “Input Terminal.” The Terminal, and the Portal itself, started in a “waiting” mode but conveyed a sense of anticipation of action. The Input Terminal featured a sculpted handprint in translucent blue and was surrounded by hieroglyphics which appeared both advanced and eternal.

When visitors placed there hands in the handprint, the sculpted surface illuminated from within and the Mission Portal started to come alive. It began with the sound of a low industrial hum, growing into a deep mechanical rumbling. Trace lights started running around the Portal and the symbols on the device lit up with a powerful “locking“ sound effect. The space inside the Portal then became an active “plasma” of visual effects, while sound effects continued to support the experience. A voice encouraged visitors approach the portal. When they did, a motion sensor triggered one of 18 short vignettes about the ASC mission. At the end of each vignette, the system automatically reset and was ready for the next input.

According to PeopleVisionFX president, Wayne Sullivant, a key to the success of the display was gauging the level of audience interactivity carefully. "People really enjoy interacting with technologies instead of simply being passive observers” notes Sullivant. At the same time, trade show attendees have a lot of ground to cover and will often forgo experiences if they become too complex. According to Sullivant, “the Mission Portal allowed for quick, intuitive, and novel interaction, while keeping waiting time to a minimum for other attendees.”

The U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC) is the Army’s premier provider of materiel readiness – technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment – to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it. The U.S. Army Sustainment Command (ASC) serves as AMC’s single face to the field and facilitates reach back across AMC to enhance mission support. ASC sustains command logistics by synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology support from the strategic through the operational to the tactical level. The command supports Army, Joint and Coalition forces across the full spectrum of operations. ASC manages Army Prepositioned Stocks and as the CONUS TSC, provides materiel management capabilities.