Physiological-based Tools for Virtual Environment Fidelity Design Guidance

We propose to use physiological sensors to measure the quality of a trainee's interaction with a virtual environment (VE) as a function of VE fidelity to enable design improvements in VEs and to enhance training effectiveness through feedback of physiological-based performance information. Currently, VE design is guided by subjective design models that involve multiple design iterations and focus on trial and error. Our approach is innovative and new because it quantifies VE fidelity requirements in terms of desired behavioral patterns in the trainee as quantified by recordable brain and peripheral bioelectrical signals. Our team has a proven track record in physiological measurement and operator performance modeling. Our team consists of a small business, a research institution, a large business commercialization partner, and a DoD collaborator. We will collaborate with the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division to enhance Navy training effectiveness through integration of physiological assessment modules into existing training systems. Our approach will test VE fidelity from simulation to real-world flight. We have a tentative, additional Phase II funding commitment in the amount of $200k over the two years of phase II from an outside industrial partner.