Fleet Assessments of a Virtual Reality Training System

Abstract

In recent years, virtual reality (VR), often called virtual environments (VE), has received an enormous amount of attention among training developers. This is due in part to media hyperbole over applications of VR in the entertainment industry, but even more so, because training developers recognize the potential of VR as a flexible and effective training medium. A prime candidate for examining the effectiveness of VR systems is the training of Officer of the Deck (OOD) ship handling for the surfaced submarine. The Virtual Environment for Submarine OOD Ship-Handling Training (VESUB) project was developed to demonstrate and evaluate the training potential of a VR-based system for OOD training. This article documents the effectiveness of the training provided by the VESUB trainer and the subjective assessments of the VESUB system obtained from 42 trainees and 12 observers during the Training Effectiveness Evaluation of the VESUB technology demonstration.

Data were collected on 15 ship-handling variables grouped into 7 skill categories. A repeated measures analysis of variance design, with scenario session (training and testing) as the within-subjects variable, found significant learning (skill improvements on ship-handling tasks) on 11 of the 15 variables.

Trainees and observers filled out an opinion questionnaire consisting of forced-choice and open-ended questions. Eighty-seven percent of the trainees and 100% of the observers indicated that the VESUB system provided a positive learning experience. Ninety-two percent of the trainees and 99% of the observers believed that VESUB would increase their confidence in their ship-handling skills. Fleet recommendations on how these technologies should be used and assessments of system components are provided.