Game Designer Saves Lives Through Next-Gen Training

Game designer Nicholas Free just graduated from college in 2020. But his career has already spanned three states—Texas, Hawaii, and now North Carolina—and multiple industries. Two things have remained constant throughout his career journey so far: the innovative use of immersive technology to provide hands-on, data-informed learning experiences, and a passionate desire to make an impact.

“My goal in life is to change the world,” said Free.

Today, Free is a senior consultant with Booz Allen. He and his teams use modeling, simulations, augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), and more to create solutions enabling warfighters to fight battles virtually before putting boots on the ground—all part of Booz Allen’s critical accelerated readiness and immersive training efforts for the Department of Defense. 

As a student at Texas A&M University, Free initially wanted to pursue a degree in animal sciences. “I wanted to be a vet, but I realized I could either feed a lot of people or save a lot of animals.” To change the world, he realized agricultural sciences would be the best way to make an impact.

He started learning about the agricultural system, and in his spare time, he also learned how to make simulations and video games. From these efforts, CowSim was born. This virtual simulation—an animal science “edugame”—gives students like himself, who grew up in the city, hands-on experience with livestock and farm activities. Free co-wrote and published an article about this work in Springer Publishing’s Education and Information Technologies journal. 

The next step was to bring edugames like CowSim to agricultural programs at more schools. He worked with the Hawaii state government and national agricultural and livestock organizations to create the game Cattle 101. As the first agricultural/livestock educational experience published on PC, Mac, and in virtual reality, it gained over 280,800 impressions on Steam within just 3 months.

Then one day, Free received an email from Booz Allen about an open game designer position. “I think the firm saw my passion and love for learning,” he said.

Changing the world took on more meaning as Free joined Booz Allen and began work in the rapid prototyping division supporting the firm’s U.S. Army clients, working toward the goal of mission acceleration amid increased cyber attacks and hypersonic weapon threats.

He’s been working on a mixed-reality training featuring 3D-printed equipment and an integrated chipset. Currently in the prototype stage, it uses sensors integrated onto 3D-printed weapons and experiential software to replicate real-world training exercises with connected weapons and equipment.

“Rather than soldiers experiencing their equipment for the first time with little or no training in the field or a hazardous zone, we’re now able to provide 3D-printed versions of critical equipment with the same form, fit, and function,” Free explained. “This better prepares them for live scenarios, which assists in lethality, survivability, emotional response, and mission success.”

It’s just one way Booz Allen is helping the U.S. military accelerate readiness for a new age of conflict. Other innovations for the digital battlefield include:

• Intelligence gathering through remote-controlled cameras, sensors, and unmanned vehicles
• A Modular Detachment Kit (MDK) that connects sensors with shooters and integrates capabilities across services for improved situational awareness on the battlefield
• AI-enabled training which routes data on the edge over existing links
• An Extended Reality Analytics Engine (XRAE) which uses real-time analytics of human and machine performance to increase speed-to-proficiency
• Wearables that apply physical, health, social-emotional, and cognitive readiness data to threat detection, decision making, planning, problem solving, and communication 
• Digital engineering, including machine-based system engineering and digital twins, to manage increasing system complexity and enable technical ownership

Across all of these technologies, Free said, “It’s about the end user. It’s about saving soldiers’ lives.”

One of the things Free most appreciates at Booz Allen is a readily available community of collaborators.

“With my agriculture simulation projects, it took a long time to find subject matter experts and build up trust,” he said. “At Booz Allen, that network is right there. You’re able to talk to people, have those interactions, and solve problems faster.”

On project teams, he often finds himself working with people who have different levels of experience, different types of creativity, and different approaches to tackling a challenge. “But when we sit together with a problem, like figuring out ways to help people fight drones, we make magic.”

Free keeps his mind open by playing as many games as he can, working on ag solutions in his spare time, and welcoming conversations and debate. “I love sitting down and talking to people—breaking down ‘the why’ when people ask questions,” he said.

“People, passion, and purpose—I try to live this as much as I can,” Free said.