Communications training system
Inventors
Sullivan, Kevin • Roberts, Matthew • Knapp, Michael • Riordan, Brian
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Assignees
Member
Aptima, Inc.Aptima, Inc. is a leader in optimizing and improving human performance in mission-critical, technology-intensive environments. Since 1995, Aptima has combined social science principles with advanced computational methods to deliver innovative, human-centered engineering solutions for defense, intelligence, aviation, law enforcement, and healthcare sectors. The company is recognized for its multidisciplinary approach, integrating expertise from engineering, data science, psychology, and cognitive science to address complex challenges. Aptima is committed to advancing research and development in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and simulation, with a strong focus on enhancing human-machine teaming, learning, and readiness. Their mission is to ensure synergy between humans, technology, and organizations, accelerating learning and productivity in the age of AI. Aptima's culture is rooted in innovation, impact, and empathy, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for its diverse team of experts.
Aptima, Inc. is a leader in optimizing and improving human performance in mission-critical, technology-intensive environments. Since 1995, Aptima has combined social science principles with advanced computational methods to deliver innovative, human-centered engineering solutions for defense, intelligence, aviation, law enforcement, and healthcare sectors. The company is recognized for its multidisciplinary approach, integrating expertise from engineering, data science, psychology, and cognitive science to address complex challenges. Aptima is committed to advancing research and development in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and simulation, with a strong focus on enhancing human-machine teaming, learning, and readiness. Their mission is to ensure synergy between humans, technology, and organizations, accelerating learning and productivity in the age of AI. Aptima's culture is rooted in innovation, impact, and empathy, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for its diverse team of experts.
Publication Number
US-10818193-B1
Publication Date
2020-10-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A communications training system is provided having a user interface, a computer-based simulator and a performance measurement database. The user interface is configured to receive a speech communication input from the user based on a training content and the computer-based simulator is configured to transform the speech communication to a text data whereby the text data can be aligned to performance measurement database values to determine a performance measure of the speech communication. The format of the text data and the performance measurement database values enable the speech communication to be aligned with predefined performance measurement database values representing expected speech communications for that training content.
Core Innovation
A communications training system comprising a user interface, a computer-based simulator and a performance measurement database is provided, wherein the user interface is configured to receive a speech communication input from the user based on a training content and the computer-based simulator is configured to transform the speech communication to a text data whereby the text data can be aligned to performance measurement database values to determine a performance measure of the speech communication. The format of the text data and the performance measurement database values enable the speech communication to be aligned with predefined performance measurement database values representing expected speech communications for that training content.
Embodiments enable an individual student to practice communications and coordination in individual or teaming scenarios by incorporating synthetic entities and natural language processing into simulators/trainers that emulate voice and chat interactions without requiring live pilots and other participants, and may be integrated with performance measuring software to evaluate student teamwork and communications for completeness, accuracy, order, brevity, and timeliness. The invention addresses a need for opportunities for UAS operators and distributed team members to learn critical communication and teamwork skills and to automate objective performance measurements without the need for live observation, providing instructors with detailed assessments for feedback and after action reviews.
Claims Coverage
Three independent claims identified. The following inventive features are extracted from the independent claims of the patent.
Computer-based communications training simulator comprising a memory, a user interface, a communication platform, an interaction manager module, and a measurement environment
A computer-based communications training simulator comprising: a memory configured to store a training content data set comprising a training event data defining a simulation data and an event type; a user interface configured to present the simulation data to a student and receive a response data of the student to the simulation data; a communication platform configured to receive the response data of the student and transform the response data to a text data; an interaction manager module configured to receive the text data to determine an event data; and a measurement environment configured to determine an event measure for the student based on the event data and the event type, wherein the response data comprises an actual utterance of the student and the event type comprises an utterance type.
Measurement environment comprising a performance score algorithm and predefined performance scoring data
A measurement environment that comprises a performance score algorithm and a predefined performance scoring data comprising a performance measure type corresponding to one or more training events, and wherein the interaction manager module is configured to execute the performance score algorithm to determine a student performance score from the performance data comprising the event measure of the one or more training events as the performance measure for the student.
Predefined utterance scoring data comprising utterance slots, slot values, slot scores, and slot weights
The measurement environment comprises a predefined utterance scoring data in which the utterance type defines an utterance slot, the utterance slot corresponds to a plurality of utterance slot values and each utterance slot value corresponds to an expected utterance of the student, the utterance slot value also corresponding to an utterance slot score, and wherein the interaction manager module is configured to align the event data of the student to the utterance slot value to define the utterance slot score as the event measure for the student, and wherein the predefined utterance scoring data further comprises an utterance slot weight and the utterance slot score is further defined by the utterance slot weight.
The independent claims cover a computer-based communications training simulator architecture that captures verbal responses, transforms speech to text, aligns student text to predefined utterance templates (utterance slots/values/weights) to produce event measures, and applies a performance scoring algorithm to derive student performance scores.
Stated Advantages
Enables individual students to practice communications and coordination in individual or teaming scenarios without requiring live pilots and other participants.
Integrates natural language processing and synthetic entities to emulate voice and chat interactions and to evaluate teamwork and communications for completeness, accuracy, order, brevity, and timeliness.
Automates objective performance measurements without the need for live observation and provides instructors with detailed assessments for feedback and after action reviews.
Provides diagnostic feedback to the student indicating not only performance outcomes but also what specifically led to the assessment, allowing effective independent learning.
Uses performance data to select or adapt training to keep the student engaged and the training content within the student's zone of proximal development.
Increases training fidelity and consistency by applying intelligent synthetic entities that can understand and produce speech, avoiding inconsistency of human role players.
Documented Applications
Training an unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operator to better communicate in their operational environment.
Training workers that work in a distributed work environment and communicate with other workers over a communications network.
Computer-based training for roles relying on proper communications such as remote help desk personnel, call-center personnel, air traffic controllers, emergency responders, financial and legal professionals, or hospital personnel.
Training a student who needs to analyze a situation or receive a communication and respond in a structured manner where content, accuracy, completeness, and timeliness is important, e.g. a 911 operator or air traffic controller.
Training human-machine teaming situations where a human needs to communicate verbally or textually with a robot or other artificial entities.
Creating structured reports such as weather reports and communicating reports to people who have limited English vocabularies.
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