Authoring Demonstrations and Assessments for Perceptual Training Navy SBIR FY2011.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2011.2 Topic No.: N112-162 Topic Title: Authoring Demonstrations and Assessments for Perceptual Training Proposal No.: N112-162-0557 Firm: Soar Technology, Inc. 3600 Green Court Suite 600 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105-2588 Contact: Robert Wray Phone: (919) 967-5079 Web Site: www.soartech.com Abstract: The USMC Combat Hunter program trains warfighters to be "combat hunters," providing instruction for combat profiling, tracking, and enhanced observation. Combat Hunter is delivering highly successful training for those warfighters who have opportunity to participate. Computer-based training tools may significantly extend the reach of the training of combat profiling skills as inspired by Combat Hunter. However, additional tools are needed to 1) prepare trainees and instructors for Combat Hunter, 2) provide individualized sustainment training, and 3) enable participants to build "training" for colleagues not able to participate in Combat Hunter course. Soar Technology proposes to extend, to refine, and to specialize existing content-development tools. These tools, when integrated together and applied to the perceptual training problem, will enable instructors and training content developers to bridge the gaps above. The tools embed evidence-based, instructional design "best practices," enabling the authors to focus on domain content, and they output instructional lessons, integrated within a simulation-based practice tool. In Phase I, we propose to investigate the application of the existing tools to perceptual training, focusing especially on the requirements of 3D, immersive environments. Benefits: The proposed product would provide the developers of perceptual training the ability to use simulation and immersive-practice technologies the ability to capture demonstration and to build assessments readily and effectively. Schoolhouse instructors can use the tools to build readiness assessments for incoming students and to create targeted remediation lessons via on-going assessment. Students will be able to use ADAPT to document their practice experiences and build demonstrations for others, enabling a Combat Hunter trainee to develop meaningful instructional content for warfighters "back in the unit" following the training. These additional capabilities will provide larger returns on investment for the Navy's development of Perceptual Training Systems, enabling core Perceptual Training Systems technologies to support more use cases and applications and to couple effective instruction with varied practice, both of which are important for improved training effectiveness. Return