Haptics-enhanced Augmented Reality Training System for Care Under Fire

While our previous research for the Army Futures Command has shown promise for AR enabled training, a comprehensive understanding of the augmented, virtual, and mixed reality technology spectrum is necessary for optimizing the immersive training experience. Additionally, the extent to which new advancements in haptics technology can be integrated into battlefield training is not well understood. Defining when, where, and how these technologies should be injected requires a research based formalized process. Therefore, the intention of this initiative is to first develop a flow, within a crawl-walk-run framework, that moves a trainee from a simple to complex training evolutions.  The second area will discuss the incorporation of new haptics systems into immersive training technology (i.e. VR, AR, XR) based Care Under Fire training scenarios, and specifically, how haptics can and should be integrated with these immersive technologies.