Q&A Training for the Next Generation

Read on to see how our innovative technology such as artificial intelligence is helping to create more immersive training and simulation applications using advanced game technology. You can also access the full Q&A on the Chief Learning Officer magazine website.  

Top five technology trends that are shaping tomorrow’s virtual learning environments

There is a new generation entering the workforce, one that craves continual interaction, visual information, and multi-sensory stimulation in learning environments.  Known as generation Y, this group grew up with video games and came of age during the communications technology era. As a result, they are accustomed to absorbing new information through interactive multidimensional methods. That's why the Fortune 500, military and civilian government organizations have turned to visually rich, virtual scenarios as a way of captivating and training this group of multi-taskers.

Behind these realistic training scenarios is powerful technology. Much like an artist needs a paint brush to create a masterpiece, scenario developers need technology tools to create highly realistic simulations. With the emergence of more sophisticated software, 2008 promises to be an eventful year on the simulation front, particularly as different organizations start using more sophisticated training scenarios. To kick off the New Year, here are the top five trends -- from advances in Artificial Intelligence to new types of training scenarios -- that are shaping the simulated learning environments of tomorrow.

Highly realistic training scenarios aren't just for soldiers anymore

Until recently, training simulations were too costly for organizations outside of the defense community to obtain. However, as the technology for developing training scenarios becomes more widely adopted and affordable, simulations are becoming a popular training tool in the domains of emergency management, homeland security and border patrol. For example, developers of training scenarios can now leverage weather data to simulate weather conditions that police and rescue workers will encounter when dealing with an emergency situation. Simulations can even be used to study the potential impact that dispanding a local gang will have on the community, or for determining evacuation procedures for a building that hasn't even been erected yet.

Training games are becoming more realistic than games designed for entertainment

Serious games do more than entertain. They help employees, soldiers, and emergency response workers to develop the skills they need to further their professional development. For example, Artificial Intelligence tools, originally designed for the development of video games, are also used to create immersive training simulations for the military. Using AI software, developers create more dynamic and life-like training scenarios that enable trainees to interact with virtual people in real-world contexts.

Traditionally, the entertainment industry was years ahead of the serious games market when it came to developing realistic scenarios and special effects. But the need, particularly within the military community, for simulations to involve highly intelligent characters who move and act like real people, is prompting developers to use highly sophisticated development tools. This heightened reality will see more developers of serious games turn to more sophisticated AI software, which will help create more complex and realistic scenarios.

New types of training scenarios are driving new simulation technology

A new type of training that combines reality with virtual environments is coming to the spotlight.  Now used primarily for soldier training, these scenarios involve a blend of live-action role playing, simulated environments and scenarios, and virtual effects. During a live flight training exercise, for example, trainers can use virtual radars to simulate enemy aircraft. This puts trainees, flying real aircraft, in the same type of high-stress environment they are likely to encounter in an actual combat situation. This is particularly beneficial because flight training with multiple aircraft can be quite expensive. By combining virtual information with live flight training, trainers can push a pilot's skills to the limit.

Because there will be a demand to create exercises crafted around particular missions and environments, live training will create a need for adaptable software that allows users to quickly and easily modify synthetic environments to meet their specific requirements.

Greater focus on end user experience

In order to captivate today's generation of young military recruits, organizations are raising the bar for realism and demanding scenarios that are rich in features and are highly accurate. With improvements in visualization technologies and the increasing sophistication of Artificial Intelligence tools, the end result is an enhanced training experience with extremely realistic scenarios.  This means that trainees sitting in a stationary seat actually feel like they are flying a military aircraft or are bobbing up and down at sea in a large vessel. It's not uncommon for trainee pilots to come out of training sessions drenched in sweat, simply because they have forgotten they are not really dealing with an emergency landing or fending off enemy forces. 

Conclusion: Effective training and powerful technology go hand-in-hand

A generational shift is happening across the workforce.  The video game generation no longer consists of kids having fun at home, but now includes first responders, office employees and soldiers at work. Through simulations that leverage powerful technology, CLOs can effectively engage and captivate this group of young people, who have come to expect more than text books when it comes to training. With advances in technology, training scenarios will continue to advance in the years to come, creating even more effective opportunities and outcomes for interactive learning.

Additional Reading

• You can also access the full Q&A on the Chief Learning Officer magazine website. 
• To learn more about Serious Games and AI.implant, click here .