Charles River Analytics and DiSTI Develop Intelligent Virtual Training System for the USAF

Charles River Analytics Inc., developer of intelligent systems solutions, is working alongside The DiSTI Corporation, the world’s leading provider of virtual maintenance training solutions, to develop our Evaluation-Driven Active Guide for Learning Procedural Events (EAGLE). EAGLE is our just-in-time intelligent virtual trainer that helps US Air Force satellite communications students learn and remember complex procedures on the Hawkeye III Lite. The Hawkeye III is a standalone, ground-based satellite communications system that provides network support for command and control backup and long-term mission relay.

Mainstream Air Force training methods, such as classroom and live exercises, require costly expert instruction and expensive equipment, so students rarely experience the full range of possible satellite system failures. Once deployed, trained personnel lack tools for refresher training, increasing the chance for error. These errors can jeopardize missions, compromise equipment, or worse yet, put personnel in harm’s way.

The 338th Training Squadron is responsible for Hawkeye III Lite Radar satellite communications students; their goal is to produce students who are well-prepared to deploy the Hawkeye equipment in a variety of mission spaces and conditions.

“Satellite communications students have little access to actual equipment,” said Dr. Krysta Chauncey, Scientist at Charles River Analytics and Project Lead on the EAGLE effort. “Our intelligent virtual trainer, EAGLE, solves this problem; it helps students get hands-on experience with the same equipment they’ll be using in the field.”

“In EAGLE, we’ve tailored the latest intelligent tutoring system and virtual training techniques to training for satellite comms,” continued Dr. Chauncey. “EAGLE automates training of key skills, such as troubleshooting, both in the classroom and remote operational settings.”

To support EAGLE, Charles River Analytics, once again, partnered with DiSTI to leverage the VE Studio® maintenance training development platform to create the virtual environment for the Hawkeye III Lite Radar. VE Studio provides a high-fidelity, game-based graphical training engine, based on Unity®, supporting the full range of maintenance applications. Learn more about VE Studio, DiSTI’s commercially available tool that develops best-in-class 3D virtual trainers. Charles River Analytics will leverage DiSTI’s virtual maintenance trainer expertise and integrate their virtual environment into the EAGLE system.

EAGLE will adapt MAGPIE, our TRL-9 adaptive virtual maintenance trainer, into a just-in-time training tool for satellite communications students and deployed personnel. MAGPIE—also built on DiSTI’s VE Studio—provides a powerful software baseline for EAGLE.

EAGLE guides efficient, low-cost training and can be customized to operational needs. Most importantly, EAGLE is available whenever and wherever a student needs it, with just-in-time-training that allows immersive rehearsal of unfamiliar and complex procedures.