Powers Communications LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF203-CSO1

Description

A drastic USAF maintainer shortage has been overcome with increased accessions, yet the new airmen lack advanced skills and need increased training time to reach level 5 – level 7 competency. Virtual reality technology is increasingly being embraced in educational settings. As a training tool, it has been successfully integrated into many fields, from medicine to military to retail and education. Its immersive nature brings depth to educational content by engaging the senses and allowing exploration to a degree that would be difficult to reproduce within the confines of a classroom.             Virtual reality can be both an individualized learning experience, or a group training tool. The virtual training environment that Powers Media proposes for AFLMC SIMS Program Office is a multi-user application, where users in different physical locations can explore and interact in the same virtual environment. Managers can now coordinate team training sessions across time zones and between continents. Avatars serve as stand-ins for absent team members and groups can continue to train as a team. The solution employs best in class COTS hardware and and software to create a lightweight facile platform that integrates with Dynepic’s AFCreate LMS to provide seamless User Registration, accumulation of performance data, and Administrative controls.              Training and multiple military exercises at military installations around the world have been modified or cancelled due to COVID-19. Social distancing and teleworking are currently in place. With training in a multi-user virtual reality application, combat crew readiness need not be compromised due to the virus today – or from potential threats in the future.