Contact CI; Maestro - Multi-Force Ergonomic Haptics developed, integrated, tested within VR Simulation Training for maintainers at Warner Robins - Air Logistic Complex (WR-ALC)

Across the Air Force leaders have recognized the opportunity of Virtual Reality (VR) to improve the efficacy of training airmen and its critical mission impact. Programs like MOTAR ‘Maintenance Operations and Training in Augmented Reality” ' along with the active VR efforts of Warner Robins - Air Logistic Complex (WR-ALC) are significantly overhauling how airmen can learn the skills needed for mission success via creating VR simulations that put humans in realistic operational settings to test their decision making under more realistic immersion. VR also decreases the time and cost of training for aircraft flight crew and maintenance operators, without sacrificing depth of learning established as the baseline in legacy methods. For example Maj. Gen Willis points out “All over the world, people are teaching themselves to fly with desktop flight simulators. In contrast, in the military, we behave as if we are the only people who know how to teach people to fly. So we started by introducing immersive training devices for the T-6 Texan II. Initially, this was a gaming laptop, a monitor, a Virtual Reality [VR] headset, an off-the-shelf control stick, and rudder pedals. Initially, it wasn’t great, the stick didn’t have any force feedback, but it was still light years better than a poster and a checklist. This is actually 10-year-old tech, and we are finally catching on.”  High impact learning requires processing information from several senses, thus using multiple sense immersion creates more cognitive connections with a concept. As a result, training efficacy is enhanced in high-fidelity simulator environments that combine auditory, visual, and haptic senses to maximize memory retention equal to physical activities. Current COTS VR systems are limited primarily relying on audio/visual senses to immerse users. Legacy simulators need far too much build and sustainment costs to equal the achieved immersion felt with multi-force ergonomic haptic integrated in lightweight COTS simulators. Contact CI can simulate the sense of touch through an advanced mechanical and electrical system, ergonomic and biomimetic wearable design, and innovations for synchronizing the full stack of HCI software while worn on the hands of VR trainees. Innovations possible due to advances in commercial VR/AR, wearables, 3D software content engines, gesture/motion capture, miniature actuators and motors, additive manufacturing, and robotics. Contact CI provides a more intuitive human-computer interaction through the use of a haptic wearable (a light-weight multi-sensory device) that simulates the sense of touch and enables users to feel the artificial objects they are interacting with during VR/AR experiences. Contact CI’s haptic wearable currently falls under Technical Readiness Level 7. Multi-force Ergonomic haptic technology can be easily adapted and tailored to meet the growing dual-use needs of DoD customers such as our work with WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio (AFLCMC)