Multimodal sensory information requirements for enhancing situation awareness and training effectiveness

Abstract

Virtual training systems use multimodal technology to provide realistic training scenarios. To determine the benefits of adopting multimodal training strategies, it is essential to identify the critical knowledge, skills and attitudes that are being targeted in training and relate these to the multimodal human sensory systems that should be stimulated to support this acquisition. This paper focuses on trainee situation awareness and develops a multimodal optimisation of situation awareness conceptual model that outlines how multimodality may be used to optimise perception, comprehension and prediction of object recognition, spatial and temporal components of awareness. Specific multimodal design techniques are presented, which map desired training outcomes and supporting sensory requirements to training system design guidelines for optimal trainee situation awareness and human performance.

Keywords:

• virtual environments
• multimodal
• training
• situation awareness

Acknowledgements

This material is based upon work supported in part by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) under its Virtual Technologies and Environments programme. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of ONR.