Advanced Ship-handling Simulators
Navy STTR 2018.A - Topic N18A-T014 NAVSEA - Mr. Dean Putnam - dean.r.putnam@navy.mil Opens: January 8, 2018 - Closes: February 7, 2018 (8:00 PM ET)
TECHNOLOGY
AREA(S): Human Systems ACQUISITION
PROGRAM: PMS 339 Surface Training Systems OBJECTIVE:
Develop open systems architecture software and algorithms that provide adaptive
coaching features to enhance the performance of the Navy’s ship-handling
training simulators. DESCRIPTION:
Despite its critical importance to the Navy, ship-handling training is becoming
more challenging as Surface Warfare Officers (SWOs) are afforded less training
time at sea and consequently experiencing fewer opportunities to control a ship
at sea (Conning watch) while under the apprenticeship of a more experienced
master mariner. This can lead to less confidence and diminished ship-handling competence
among SWOs, which in turn increases the Navy’s risk for accidents when carrying
out mission-critical tasks. The current technology addressing these concerns
is the Navy Conning Officers Virtual Environment (COVE), and the associated
Intelligent Tutor System (ITS), COVE-ITS. Together, these training systems
provide opportunities for students to practice ship-handling tasks with spoken
coaching and feedback from an instructor. However, in its current form, the
COVE-ITS, as well as products from the commercial marine industry, are unable
to autonomously judge the student’s actions, provide suggestions, or ask
questions that enable active learning. Enhancements are needed with adaptive
coaching capabilities to provide a real-time judgment with coaching/encouragement
and enable post-evolution debriefing. PHASE
I: Identify and define functionality, and feasibility of a concept for a
training module that can function seamlessly with COVE utilizing advanced ITS
technology that would provide adaptive coaching and real-time judgment, and
enable post-evolution debriefing utilizing technology within the virtual
reality of the current simulator. Deliver a determination of the technical
feasibility of the concept into the current Surface Warfare Officer School
(SWOS), SWOS COVE, and COSA infrastructure. Phase I will include plans for a
prototype to be developed during Phase II. PHASE
II: Based on the results of Phase I, develop and deliver a prototype system to
be integrated with COVE and with COSA for evaluation at SWOS. The prototype
will be evaluated in a relevant environment to determine its capability to meet
the performance goals defined in the Phase II Statement of Work (SOW).
Evaluation results will be used to refine the prototype into a mature design
that will meet the requirements. The small business will provide all required
software, instruction, and training material required to maintain and operate
the system. The company will prepare a Phase III development plan to transition
the technology for Navy validation and accreditation. PHASE
III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Develop the full module to be implemented into the
COVE and COSA systems. Support the Navy and SWOS for test and validation to
certify the system for use and ensure that it meets training objectives. If
Phase III is successful, the company will support the Navy in transitioning the
technology for schoolhouse use. REFERENCES: 1.
Koenig, Alan, Lee, John, and Iseli, Markus. “CRESST Shiphandling Automated
Assessment Engine: Mooring at a Pier.” CRESST Report May 2016. http://cresst.org/wp-content/uploads/R852.pdf 2.
Beidel, Eric. “Avatars Invade Military Training Systems.” NDIA Business and
Technology Magazine. February 2012. http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2012/1/31/2012february-avatars-invade-military-training-systems KEYWORDS:
Ship-handling Training; Autonomy in Training Systems; Surface Warfare Officers
(SWOs) Training; Adaptive Coaching; Conning Officer Virtual Environment (COVE);
Conning Officer Ship-handling Assessment (COSA)
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