CAREER: Leveraging the Virtualness of Virtual Reality for More-Effective Training

这项研究采用了一种新的方法，以计算机为基础的虚拟现实（VR）的培训，利用VR的虚拟性，提供培训解决方案，不可能在真实的世界。其目的是开发比真实世界的练习和模拟它们的VR系统更有效，更省时的VR技术。为了证明这些新的VR训练技术的一般有效性，研究重点放在两个训练领域：（1）非外科医生团队成员的机器人手术室任务，包括术前设置，术中任务和术后清理。(2)非公路卡车的班前检查，包括绕场检查、安装车辆和驾驶室检查。形成性的专家评审、将新技术与传统VR培训版本进行比较的研究以及真实世界的验证研究将用于确定技术的有效性和效率。 教育活动包括研究生VR课程，本科生研究经验，针对未被充分代表的高中生的夏季研究计划，每年面向高中生和中学生的VR夏令营，以及创建VR开发的在线视频教程，以支持正式和非正式学习。为了促进这项研究，开发了一个设计和分析VR培训技术的新框架，改变保真度以影响记忆的框架。 它连接了两个概念，系统保真度和工作记忆。系统保真度是VR系统再现真实的世界体验的客观准确度。工作记忆是人类用户头脑中短期或长期知觉、认知和运动记忆网络的时间激活。该框架的前提是操纵系统保真度的一个方面来帮助工作记忆的一个阶段，这反过来又会提高训练的有效性。六种新的VR技术，基于这个框架确定的方法，将被开发和研究：（1）因果信号，（2）感官口音，（3）情景戏剧化，（4）错误煽动，（5）对象召唤，（6）调节生物力学。 例如，因果信号方法是有目的地改变时间和物理，以传达事件及其后果之间的因果关系。 时间规整是一种因果关系信令技术，其中训练场景可以在错误之后快进到结果结果，然后倒回到错误之前的决策点。这种技术将向用户传达错误和结果之间的因果关系，除了允许用户纠正错误之外。

This research takes a new approach to computer-based virtual reality (VR) training by leveraging the virtualness of VR to provide training solutions not possible in the real world. The aim is to develop VR techniques that are more effective and more time-efficient for training than real-world exercises and VR systems that emulate them. To demonstrate the general effectiveness of these new VR training techniques, the research focuses on two training domains: (1) Robotic operating room tasks for non-surgeon team members, including preoperative setup, intraoperative tasks, and postoperative cleanup. (2) Pre-shift inspections of off-highway trucks, which include walk-around inspections, mounting the vehicle, and in-cab inspections. Formative expert reviews, studies comparing the new techniques to traditional VR training versions, and real-world validation studies will be used to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the techniques. Educational activities include a graduate VR course, research experiences for undergraduates, a summer research program for underrepresented high school students, an annual VR summer camp for high and middle school students, and the creation of online video tutorials for VR development to support formal and informal learning.A new framework for designing and analyzing VR training techniques has been developed to facilitate this research, the Framework for Altering Fidelity to Influence Memory. It connects two concepts, system fidelity and working memory. System fidelity is the objective degree of exactness with which real world experiences are reproduced by a VR system. Working memory is the temporal activation of short-term or long-term perceptual, cognitive, and motor memory networks in the mind of the human user. The premise of the framework is to manipulate an aspect of system fidelity to help a stage of working memory, which in turn should improve the effectiveness of training. Six novel VR techniques, based on approaches identified with this framework, will be developed and investigated: (1) causation signaling, (2) sensory accents, (3) situational dramatization, (4) error instigation, (5) object conjuration, and (6) regulated biomechanics. For example, the causation signaling method is to purposefully alter time and physics to convey the cause-and-effect relationship between an event and its consequence. Time warping is a causation signaling technique in which the training scenario can be fast-forwarded after an error to the resulting consequence and then rewound back to the decision point just before the error. This technique will convey to the user the cause-and-effect relationship between the error and resulting consequence, in addition to allowing the user to correct the mistake.