Virtual Realiity

This research proposes to investigate the pictorial methodologies and technologies currently availabile to manpower and force management, training systems, selection, assignment, and retention of personnel. Innovative methods such as visualization, simulation, and in particular virtual reality, will be examined. This proposal involves the use of virtual reality applied to currently used graphical techniques as a medium for training. Virtual reality helps amplify a person's ability to see relationships in complex sets of data and to absorb, manipulate, and interpret information more quickly and completely. The most critical aspect of virtual reality from simulation and visualization is its increased level of interactivity. Virtual reality promises to offer: (a) the ability to experience content and context directly; (b) the tools to manipulate the rewrite physical laws of the universe; (c) the presentation of information in abstract aural and visual forms; (d) cost-effective real life training for dangerous jobs; (e) the ability to create an environment that can be shared by several people; (f) the ability to present consistent and replicable situations on transportable, cost-effective systems; and (g) the capability to deliver training on group process activities individually.