Addressing COVID-19 Readiness through Distance Learning to Provide Continuous and Effective Airmen Training

The 12th Operations Group (OG) has a national defense-related mission need in the area of COVID-19 Readiness relative to providing continual and consistent training of airmen using distance learning techniques and portable end-user devices such as tablets and VR HMDs. Specifically, the ability to train without interruption is crucially important, especially in times of crisis. We believe technology development under this X20.R SBIR topic will provide significant short-term and long-term contributions to solving the mission need. The main goals of HTX Labs’ involvement in this project are to provide a centralized platform for the development, management, and distribution of academic (2D and XR) courseware to several types of end-user devices in order to provide a consistent and effective user experience that allows critical training to continue during and beyond the current COVID-19 crisis. HTX’s project plan is to front load as many value-add features as possible so that the 12th OG may receive an immediate uplift in training readiness and capabilities. This plan will include hardware procurement (portable VR HMDs and iPads) to support remote training, as well as the expansion of existing EMPACT® platform capabilities specific to XR training content upload, management and distribution to end-users. In parallel, HTX will implement platform adaptations to support critical 12th OG requirements specific to more sophisticated iPad support for XR training content and new XR content for AIR FORCE TO 1T-6A-1 (“Dash-1”) materials. In particular, we will 1) provide a platform for instructor pilots (IPs) to centralize, entitle, and distribute training material (2d, video, immersive) to a range of end-user devices (desktop, tablet, VR HMDs), 2) rapidly develop meaningful and effective immersive academic courseware that addresses the Dash-1 material that is maintainable by the 12th OG and is deployable to portable devices that airmen may check-out to take home, and 3) maximize IP accessibility by providing the ability to remotely monitor and review student progress. The mission impact of this project on the Air Force and the Department of Defense will be to provide an immediate and ongoing uplift to readiness, providing both the hardware and software necessary to facilitate effective distance learning with the ability to maximize IP accessibility to more students.