Eyeviation’s Virtual Cognitive-Aware Training (VCAT) firearms training system will be showcased to civilian shooters and range operators at Shot Show 2026 in Las Vegas next week.
Already extensively tested by Israeli and US military units, VCAT is “the world’s first cognitive-aware firearms training system,” according to a company release on 14 January. Applying AI-enhanced training methodologies developed in high-pressure operational environments to civilian firearms training, the system “enables shooters to train without live fire, ammunition, or dedicated lanes, while addressing a layer of performance data that until now could not be measured or systematically trained.”
The system differs from previous solutions in that it is specifically designed to train both cognitive and visual processes across the complete shot cycle. These processes govern shooting performance from target acquisition, through engagement and shot sequencing, into post-shot recovery, including vision management, attentional control and decision timing under pressure. This allows shooters and instructors alike to identify performance limitations earlier, shorten time to proficiency and reduce training plateaus. The approach reflects how elite units accelerate skill acquisition and maintain readiness, now adapted for commercial ranges and sport shooters.
According to Eyeviation CEO Or Landwer, “VCAT represents a fundamental shift in how firearms training is structured […] it brings elite-level methodologies into civilian environments and allows shooters to focus on what truly drives improvement eminently and immediately.”
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VCAT is designed for “high-frequency, ammunition-free micro-training,” enabling a single instructor to provide oversight to multiple trainees simultaneously. The primary learning environment therefore transitions from live fire scenarios to the virtual environment, resulting in significantly reduced costs while also vastly reducing the risk factor and enhancing availability. All these are good things. It remains to be seen, however, whether the shooter community and – perhaps more importantly – the regulatory authorities, will fully embrace the idea of AI becoming a major component of teaching people outside the military not just how to shoot – but if to shoot. The apparent requirement for full-coverage intelligent goggles also has the potential to inject unwanted behaviour into a community of trainees not subject to the rigours of military-style training. Perhaps, however, that fear will be demonstrated to be irrelevant as the next generation of VR natives comes into play.
Headline image illustrates the VCAT system in operation. (Eyeviation)
