Social distancing guidelines brought about in response to the pandemic made the traditional operation of a simulation centre with restricted flooring house unimaginable. To continue providing training to a better variety of candidates, strategies for recreating the simulation expertise with remote candidates were devised and explored:
A: Conversational avatar over Zoom.
Using streaming software program, our pre-present conversational avatar is introduced on a Zoom call for conversational simulation with remote candidates.
B: Gameplay type situations on CenarioVR.
Candidates navigate a clinical room atmosphere with buttons and menus to undertake a situation. The system tracks inputs to progress the state of affairs.
C: Distant In-Ear (RIE) teaching.
Utilizing a wireless earbud, candidates talk remotely with centre staff (‘operatives’) who comply with the instructions given by candidates watching a dwell Zoom feed. Is it tho Three variations were explored:
C1: Candidates remotely watch the feed whereas linked to an operative by an audio call.
C2: Candidates message their goal operative on Zoom and text-to-speech software program reads these messages to the operatives.
C3: Zoom breakout rooms/separate WhatsApp video calls connect candidates to focus on operatives, the place candidates see from the operative’s perspective through a head-mounted digital camera.
D: Virtual environments
D1: Private Worlds inside VRChat host scenarios.
D2: GOSH’s Minecraft server hosts scenarios.
Proposals have been scored 0-10 in: Group Interactivity, Fidelity, Vary of Eventualities and Ease of Implementation. Summed complete scores were:
C3=32, C1=29, C2=27, A=26, B=20, D1=19, D2=10
To date, probably the most viable options have been trialled.
Avatar use over Zoom proved simple to arrange and programs utilizing it are deliberate.
RIE coaching’s trial sessions had operatives reporting communication inefficiencies. In response, the mannequin was revised: the wider group now coaches the entire room over Zoom.
Gameplay scenarios are still underneath construction. Externally produced scenarios are being scrutinised.