Natural User Interface for Education in Virtual Environments

Education and self-improvement are key features of human behavior. However, learning in the physical world is not always desirable or achievable. That is how simulators came to be. There are domains where purely virtual simulators can be created in contrast to physical ones. In this research we present a novel environment for learning, using a natural user interface. We, humans, are not designed to operate and manipulate objects via keyboard, mouse or a controller. The natural way of interaction and communication is achieved through our actuators (hands and feet) and our sensors (hearing, vision, touch, smell and taste). That is the reason why it makes more sense to use sensors that can track our skeletal movements, are able to estimate our pose, and interpret our gestures. After acquiring and processing the desired – natural input, a system can analyze and translate those gestures into movement signals

Visuohaptic Simulation of a Borescope for Aircraft Engine Inspection

Consisting of a long, fiber optic probe containing a small CCD camera controlled by hand-held articulation interface, a video borescope is used for remote visual inspection of hard to reach components in an aircraft. The knowledge and psychomotor skills, specifically the hand-eye coordination, required for effective inspection are hard to acquire through limited exposure to the borescope in aviation maintenance schools. Inexperienced aircraft maintenance technicians gain proficiency through repeated hands-on learning in the workplace along a steep learning curve while transitioning from the classroom to the workforce. Using an iterative process combined with focused user evaluations, this dissertation details the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel visuohaptic simulator for training novice aircraft maintenance technicians in the task of engine inspection using a borescope. First, we describe the development of the visual components of the simulator, along with the acquisition and modeling of a representative model of a {PT-6} aircraft engine. Subjective assessments with both expert and novice aircraft maintenance engineers evaluated the visual realism and the control interfaces of the simulator. In addition to visual feedback, probe contact feedback is provided through a specially designed custom haptic interface that simulates tip contact forces as the virtual probe intersects with the {3D} model surfaces of the engine. Compared to other haptic interfaces, the custom design is unique in that it is inexpensive and uses a real borescope probe to simulate camera insertion and withdrawal. User evaluation of this simulator with probe tip feedback suggested a trend of improved performance with haptic feedback. Next, we describe the development of a physically-based camera model for improved behavioral realism of the simulator. Unlike a point-based camera, the enhanced camera model simulates the interaction of the borescope probe, including multiple points of contact along the length of the probe. We present visual comparisons of a real probe\u27s motion with the simulated probe model and develop a simple algorithm for computing the resultant contact forces. User evaluation comparing our custom haptic device with two commonly available haptic devices, the Phantom Omni and the Novint Falcon, suggests that the improved camera model as well as probe contact feedback with the 3D engine model plays a significant role in the overall engine inspection process. Finally, we present results from a skill transfer study comparing classroom-only instruction with both simulator and hands-on training. Students trained using the simulator and the video borescope completed engine inspection using the real video borescope significantly faster than students who received classroom-only training. The speed improvements can be attributed to reduced borescope probe maneuvering time within the engine and improved psychomotor skills due to training. Given the usual constraints of limited time and resources, simulator training may provide beneficial skills needed by novice aircraft maintenance technicians to augment classroom instruction, resulting in a faster transition into the aviation maintenance workforce

Advances in Teaching & Learning Day Abstracts 2005

Proceedings of the Advances in Teaching & Learning Day Regional Conference held at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 2005

Intensive Driving Lesson System for Driving School

The focus of this project is to develop an Intensive Driving Lesson System for driving school that emphasize on aiding learning through 3D demonstration and interaction. The objectives of this project are to develop an intensive driving lesson system as a supplement to current driving lesson and JPJ's outline test, to incorporate the VR concept and giving information such as visualization in presenting the overviewof road driving scenarios to the students in the systemand to conduct a survey to evaluate system acceptance by the user. In order to achieve these objectives, the design method adopted to develop the system is based on Kulwinder Kaur's (1998). There are five (5) stages conducted in designing method; requirement analysis, task & domain analysis, design of VE, design of user support and navigation analysis and evaluation. The preliminary findings from the evaluation of the system showed that the completed system is able to compliment to the current driving lesson. Future recommendations and enhancements on the Intensive Driving Lesson system suggested that the use of 3D demonstration is refined further and implementation is applied with more details. The idea can be broaden by enhancing user navigation and interaction towards this features

Development and Evaluation of a Simulation Tool for Robotics Education

This IQP is aimed at constructing a virtual robotic simulator and then testing its effectiveness as a learning tool. After researching other simulators, the team developed a simulator called Lua Visual. To determine if Lua Visual could be used as learning tool, the team tested how both high school and college students reacted to the software. The results suggested that simulators like Lua Visual would be very useful for robotics education. Video of the simulator can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG5vG_-0UY