Jonathan Stevens

Exploring the Impact of Simulator Sickness on the Virtual World Experience

This research initiative seeks to understand training effectiveness for Virtual World (VW) technologies. The advancement of VW training platforms in both academia and industry demonstrates the need to investigate the effects of simulator sickness (SS) on the VW experience. This paper uses the Military Open Simulator Enterprise Strategy (MOSES) VW platform to train 32 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets from the University of Central Florida on a room clearing task. A between-subjects design was conducted with an emphasis on the VW training condition. The data collected included both individual and collective performance as well as perceptual data (SS, Presence, Flow, and Engagement). Data analysis comprised of a series of Pearson product correlation coefficient for understanding the relationship between SS and Presence, Flow, and Engagement in addition to explaining performance outcomes. The results found moderate to strong, negative correlations between SS and Presence, SS and Flow, and SS and Engagement. The results reveal that SS interrupts presence during the VW training which can lead to negative training transfer. Alternatively, the increase in presence, flow, and engagement associated with a decrease in SS may be linked to motivation which is essential to effective training. Finally, this paper discusses limitations related to VW research (e.g., internal and external validity, expertise level, etc.) but also provides a basic foundation from which SS research may enhance VW training.

An analysis of increased vertical scaling in three-dimensional virtual world simulation

In this paper, we describe the analysis of the effect of vertical computational scaling on the performance of a simulation based training prototype currently under development by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. The United States military is interested in facilitating Warfighter training by investigating large-scale realistic virtual operational environments. In order to support expanded training at higher echelons, virtual world simulators need to scale to support more simultaneous client connections, more intelligent agents, and more physics interactions. This work provides an in-depth analysis of a virtual world simulator under different hardware profiles to determine the effect of increased vertical computational scaling.

Preliminary Review of a Virtual World Usability Questionnaire

Improving performance through training in virtual environments has led to identifying the best methods associated with enhancing human-computer interaction. This paper provides a description of a usability questionnaire for Virtual World training, by focusing on experiential U.S. Army Warrior Leader Course tasks performed using an input desktop device (i.e., a mouse and keyboard). The usability questionnaire was developed by integrating established usability subscales. A Likert scale for both user experience (for game genre and controller type) and usability levels were implemented, along with free response questions, to gain insight into the controller interface(s). Descriptive statistics and determination of internal consistency (using Cronbach’s alpha) are reviewed for establishing the reliability and validity of the novel questionnaire. Proposed changes to the questionnaire include removal of superfluous items and consolidation of subscales. Tradeoffs for types of controllers are discussed, in light of the results.

The effect of visual display on performance in mixed reality simulation

Abstract The United States Army continues to develop new and effective ways to use simulation for training. One example is the Non-Rated Crew Member Manned Module (NCM3), a simulator designed to train helicopter crewmembers in critical, high-risk tasks such as aerial door gunnery. The goal of this study was to evaluate visual display’s effect on performance in mixed reality aerial door gunnery. Two discrete groups of subjects, expert and novice, were employed in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two visual display treatments and executed three training scenarios in the NCM3. Independent variables were visual display, immersive tendency and Simulator Sickness Questionnaire scores. Dependent variables included performance, presence and simulator sickness change scores. The results of the study indicated no main effect of visual display on performance for the expert population while a main effect of visual display on performance was discovered for the novice population. Both visual treatment groups experienced the same degree of presence and simulator sickness. No relationship between an individual’s immersive tendency and their performance nor level of presence was found. Results of this study both support and challenge the commonly held notion that higher immersive simulation leads to better performance.

Physics Engine Threading Design and Object-Scalability in Virtual Simulation

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is investigating technologies and methods to enhance the next generation of tactical simulation-based trainers. A primary research objective is to increase the number of simultaneous Soldiers that can train and collaborate in a shared, virtual environment. Current virtual programs of record cannot support the Department of the Armys goal to train at the company echelon (200 Soldiers) in a virtual environment and are limited to the platoon echelon (42 Soldiers) of concurrent trainees. ARL has identified scalability limiting factors to be the simulators physics engine and threading architecture. In this work, two threading designs are evaluated on how they perform with high amounts of physics load to determine which thread design is optimal for future virtual trainers.

Alternate Rubric for Performance Assessment of Infantry Soldier Skills Training

Gauging the impact of simulation-based training SBT technology has been straightforward in the past when applied to domains such as pilot training and ground vehicle operator training. In the dismounted infantry soldier skills domain, the low hanging fruit for effective use of SBT are weapons and equipment operations training. However, the complexities of the operational environment are often too difficult to replicate in current virtual environments to represent an accurate or effective training for the skills requiring identification of enemy activity or reacting to enemy contact. This paper discusses the need for an alternate method of performance assessment when comparing traditional training means to SBT.

Make it usable: highlighting the importance of improving the intuitiveness and usability of a computer-based training simulation

Usability refers to the ease-of-use, learnability, and satisfaction of an individuals interactions with an interface. With the increased fielding of constructive simulation and personal computer-based simulation for training, there is a growing need for proper usability evaluations during the developmental phase of a products lifecycle to ensure higher rates of effective use, understanding, and trust from targeted users. The Linguistic Geometry Real-time Adversarial Intelligence and Decision-making (LG-RAID) computer-based training simulation was designed as a training simulation for Army personnel undergoing training on the development of tactically correct courses of action. A heuristic evaluation was conducted to identify strengths and weaknesses of LG-RAIDs User Interface (UI) design. Results are presented and discussed with a focus on the importance of being mindful of the cognitive capabilities of the user when designing UIs, understanding and executing simulation design needs based on these capabilities, and the benefits of integrating those design changes during development.

Resource Allocation Predictive Modeling to Optimize Virtual World Simulator Performance

Virtual world simulation for military training is an emerging domain. As such, detailed analysis is required to optimize the performance the simulators. Unfortunately, due to a lack of extensive virtual world performance analysis, simulator administrators often make arbitrary resource allocations to support their environments and training scenarios. In this paper, we provide a lightweight predictive model that will be used in an automated, dynamic resource allocation system in the popular three-dimensional open-sourced virtual world simulator OpenSimulator. Prior to this investigation, only OpenSimulator developers and users with extensive experience with the platform could manually load balance the server resources based on anticipated usage. Now, with the proposed system and its predictive model, the simulator advances towards having an automated mechanism to determine the minimal critical resources that are required to support a target number of concurrent users in the virtual world.