Scott Nicholas
Charles River Analytics has received a two-year, $500,000 contract to help U.S. Army researchers create a virtual and augmented reality training interface for the service branch.
The company said Monday it will develop the Virtual Interface for Real-Time User Control during Simulated Operations with partners Technology, Modeling and Simulation Consultants, Sensics and the Virtual Reality Medical Center.
VIRTUOSO will be designed to help the Army automatically assess skill performance as well as integrate hierarchical models of multiple abilities and techniques that can drive skill proficiency.
“There is a need to support the same natural interactions that take place during live training operations, to facilitate the same skill development experienced in live training simulations that result in learned muscle memory for critical physical tasks,” said Michael Jenkins, senior scientist at Charles River and principal investigator on the VIRTUOSO project.
“We are addressing this challenge in VIRTUOSO for both gross-motor movement, such as navigating through the virtual environment, and fine-motor movement, such as control of precision tools and interaction with virtual objects with one’s hands and fingers, Jenkins added.
