People usually call the physical model made of sand, foam plastic, chess and other materials according to topographic maps, aerial photographs or field topography as the traditional combat sand table. The traditional combat sand table has the characteristics of intuitive image, simple production, economy and practicality, and can show the actual terrain, enemy preparation, troop deployment and weapon configuration. Therefore, it is often used in the military to study the terrain, the enemy's situation and the battle plan, organize coordinated operations, carry out tactical drills, study war cases and sum up combat experience. Traditional combat sand table can be divided into simple sand table and permanent sand table.

3 d electronic sand table

Military scientists use computer, 3D visualization and projection technology, combined with remote sensing, GIS and other geographic information technologies to develop a 3D geographic information system platform, which can quickly process massive terrain data and simulate terrain, and make a realistic 3D electronic "sand table".

Numerical control model sand table with perfect combination of tradition and modernity

Although electronic sand table has such advantages, it appears on the two-dimensional plane of computer screen after all, which is very different from people's visual habits, so military scientists have thought of three-dimensional intuitive traditional combat sand table. They combined modern electronic technology with old-fashioned sand table to develop a new generation of military electronic numerical control model sand table.

The design of the new generation military electronic numerical control model sand table is still based on the traditional sand table. The main technical improvement is that various software and hardware systems are added, and technologies such as analog-to-digital sensing technology, database technology, military plotting system, touch screen display technology, multimedia display technology, real-time positioning display technology, network information transmission technology and corresponding functions are integrated. In addition to the images of geographical areas and target entities involved in the model, it also includes all latitude and longitude and elevation data, description and statistics of geographical attributes, voice interpretation, ground photography and video recording, aerial photography or satellite photography (front view and side view), large-scale topographic map screenshots, electronic sand table dynamic landscape, electronic stereoscopic map (front view and side view), virtual reality landscape, public webpage interception, public map interception and so on. According to the needs of military command, military activity monitoring system, video conference system and background database query system can also be integrated or accessed to provide vehicle driving positioning information.

All-laser sandbox virtual reality

With the application of laser technology and the arrival of the information age, scientists have created artificial mirage groups in a certain range. According to foreign media reports, American scientists have been able to reproduce the artificial mirage scene on the battlefield. The terrain of the battlefield, the fighting situation of both sides and their changes can be displayed in the artificial mirage at the same time, and the "battlefield" has been moved to the commander. This virtual reality technology is regarded as highly confidential and strictly protected. Because whoever owns this virtual technology can know more about the battlefield and even fight a completely one-way transparent war.

This is the "laser sand table". The computer transmits information to the laser transmitter, and the laser transmitter emits laser with a certain frequency to the sand table. The sand table is an empty glass box with a length of 1m and a height of 0.5 m, which is sealed with various inert gases. The air pressure sensor, temperature sensor, humidity sensor and air suspended particle sensor in the box can be controlled by computer to create a mirage. When several laser emitters shoot at the gas in the box continuously and rapidly according to mathematical signals, a clear color stereoscopic picture will be presented in front of us, which will change with the change of input images, such as mountains and rivers, roads, gateways, stations, airports and so on.

Like electronic sand table, laser sand table can be assembled into larger laser sand table. In this way, the line accuracy of sand table will be enlarged by 2 times, 3 times or even more to meet different military needs.

Laser sand table computer can interpret and convert aerospace images and videos, as well as ordinary military maps, and convert plane maps into three-dimensional maps. Especially in small-scale local battlefields, laser sand table can display high-rise buildings, elevated bridges, dams and even ships, cars, chariots and so on. Laser sand table can be displayed not only statically, but also dynamically, and the combat situation can be seen at any time.