STTR Phase II: Intelligent Instruction Systems using Augmented Reality

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project investigates the creation of intelligent instruction systems that exploit adaptive software mechanisms (i.e. intelligent software agents) and augmented virtual reality (AVR) techniques. Since it is common that production-line employees are required to wear goggles, intelligent agents could transfer their instructions via goggle-like wearable computers (i.e. AVR) that overlay the actual visual field with text and computer graphics. The proposed techniques will facilitate the real-time assessment of employees undergoing training and will allow the software agents to automatically and proactively reinforce weaker areas based on these assessments. An overall assessment model of all employees can characterize the entire workforce for a particular facility. For example, this overall assessment can be used to enhance resource management triggered by absenteeism or other factors, allowing planners to use such assessments for optimizing manufacturing processes by refactoring traditional, perhaps obsolete, production processes.The broader impacts of the technology result from the use of intelligent agents to manage and direct the cross-training of employees in typical work environments where absenteeism and workforce turnover are important issues. Additionally, this technology, through workforce training broadly impacts the workforce to become more adaptive and agile with the resulting positive impact on overall product quality and productivity.