Project Title

A Case-based Reasoning Approach to Simulation-Based Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) and ITS Authoring 

Technology Developed

In this effort we developed a standalone general Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) and ITS Authoring Tool, which gives students practice in simulated scenarios, automatically evaluates their actions, assesses their knowledge of the relevant principles and their ability to APPLY that knowledge in the scenarios, and remediates their deficiencies with descriptive information and more practice with scenarios requiring application of knowledge in which they are weak. The ITS authoring tool is used to create new ITSs in new, tactical domains, if a suitable simulation is available. It allows instructors to create scenarios, create intelligent behaviors to control other platforms in these scenarios, create evaluation machines, enter the knowledge (principles) required by the student to perform correct actions, and attach to those principles multi-media descriptions.

DoD / Government Applications

Using the ITS Authoring tool, instructors at the Surface Warfare Officer's School (SWOS) created an Intelligent Tutoring System for
Tactical Action Officers (TAOs). The TAO ITS is interfaced to a standalone PC-based tactical warfare simulation, which make use of
intelligently controlled simulated platforms with plausible sensor models. The scenarios are not scripted but each platform has an
initial set of orders and goals and an intelligent behavior defined for it. The TAO ITS teaches Air, Surface, and Undersea warfare
principles by presenting the TAO student with practice scenarios in the tactical warfare simulation, assessing the correctness of his
actions, debriefing him on which actions were correct and incorrect and why, presenting him with descriptive multi-media information on the principles that he didn't apply correctly, and following up with additional tactical scenarios which use those principles. The TAO
ITS is currently in use at SWOS to train TAOs. Instructors can use the scenario editor to create their own scenarios and their own
intelligent behaviors to control simulated platforms in those scenarios, without programming. Additionally the Navy's CNET has provided an additional $75,000 to investigate what enhancements will be required to allow the TAO ITS to be used on-board ship and
to make some of the necessary enhancements. The technology could be easily applied to other tactical domains or critical commercial applications, especially where mistakes are dangerous or costly. The ITS can be interfaced to existing simulations or SHAI can develop those as needed. In summary the ITS provides many of the capabilitiesnormally provided by human tutors and instructors and can thus greatly off-load them or replace them in situations where instructors are unavailable.

Benefit to the DoD

The Navy and SWOS have benefited from improved TAO training, more and better training scenarios, the ability to easily/quickly create their own new scenarios, automatic evaluation of student actions in those scenarios, and the PC-based simulation which allows each TAO student to have far more tactical practice than was previously possible. TAO students leaving SWOS will be able to take the TAO ITS with them on-board ship, to keep their tactical skills sharp. Furthermore new scenarios specific to their upcoming missions can be defined so that their practice can be even more relevant. Better trained TAOs will help prevent costly poor
tactical decisions and improve the tactical performance of ships in combat. Furthermore, the Navy can apply the authoring tool to create ITSs for other positions on-board ship or training applications.

Private Sector Applications

Private Sector Benefits

Benefit to Company

Additional Comments

Taxonomy

 

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