System and method for training with a virtual apparatus

• US 10,304,346 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MIND Research Institute
• Original Assignee: MIND Research Institute
• Inventors: Peterson, Matthew R., Bodner, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Egloff, Peter R
• Application Number:
  US12/494,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20090325137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,620 Days
• Field of Search: 434323, 434350, 434236, 434362, 463 9, 463 11, 463 31
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A method and system of training in conjunction with a computer animation executed by a computing environment is described. The method includes recognizing a task to be performed in the computer animation, recognizing a problem, displayed in the computer animation, to accomplish the task, and solving the problem by manipulation of a virtual apparatus having virtual components displayed in the computer animation. The virtual components are manipulated by a student or user desiring to learn. The student is taught to understand logically consistent goals by using the virtual apparatus and without language interaction. Rules and properties for a subject area are modeled to the student by the virtual apparatus without language interaction. The student is taught to operate the virtual apparatus without language interaction. The student is requested to operate the virtual apparatus to reach goals in a sequence of problems having progressive difficulty and without language interaction.

Claims

1. A method of academic subject training in conjunction with a computer animation executed by a computing environment including a processor and a display, the method comprising:

for each of a plurality of category areas related to the academic subject, creating a logical construct including establishing a set of consistent rules, so that each of the related academic subject area categories has a corresponding and appropriate set of consistent rules;

displaying, via the processor and the display, and in a graphical user interface, a virtual apparatus with virtual components that are manipulated by a user being trained;

teaching the user to understand logically consistent goals by operating the virtual apparatus in an impoverished video environment and without language interaction, and providing at least one of the virtual components of the virtual apparatus which can be manipulated;

modeling, via the processor, properties and the set of consistent rules for a particular one of the academic subject area categories to the user by the virtual apparatus without language interaction;

teaching the user to operate the virtual apparatus without language interaction;

allowing the user to operate the virtual apparatus, including manipulating the virtual components, and/or selecting answer choices defined by the virtual apparatus to reach goals in a sequence of problems having progressive difficulty and without language interaction;

receiving, via the graphical user interface of the computer environment, a user input manipulating a virtual component of the virtual apparatus;

determining, based at least in part on the input, and in response to the input, a transformation of the virtual components of the virtual apparatus; and

automatically animating movement, on the display and in the graphical user interface, of at least some of the virtual components of the virtual apparatus according to the determined transformation and so as to indicate to a user positive or negative feedback,

wherein teaching the user to understand logically consistent goals comprises animating the result of manipulating the at least one of the virtual components to show how a path is changed from impassable to passable, wherein in the impoverished video environment only essential images are included in the animation, wherein essential images include only those images directly involved in a problem and its solution, and wherein there is no output on the display not involved in a problem'"'"'s solution, and wherein without language interaction relies on spatial-temporal reasoning interaction, and

wherein the academic training is without intervention and instruction by a teacher, wherein the display of the virtual components includes at least one predetermined virtual component that is configured as being transformable between a displayable graphical representation and a corresponding, displayable language/symbol representation, and wherein upon meeting a criterion related to the particular one of the academic subject area categories, the at least one transformable virtual component is indicated to be transformed from the displayable graphical representation to the displayable language/symbol representation, wherein the criterion related to the particular one of the academic subject area categories includes mastery of the academic subject area category by the user while using the displayable graphical representation for the transformable virtual component(s) of the academic subject area category.

2. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

selecting an academic subject area category appropriate for the user; and

selecting a sequence of problems according to the selected academic subject area category.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising establishing error tolerances for the problems.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising determining if the user has mastered an academic subject matter sub-category.

5. The method of claim 4, additionally comprising introducing language elements to the user in conjunction with the computer animation if the user has mastered the academic subject matter sub-category.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the language elements comprise numerals and/or labels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual components correspond to a graphical set of possible solutions to the problems.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein teaching the user to understand logically consistent goals comprises:

displaying an arena having an animated character, an obstacle and the virtual apparatus; and

animating, by the processor, a result of manipulating at least one of the virtual components.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the path includes an obstacle and the animating includes showing how an animated character traverses past the obstacle on the path.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of a wrong virtual component by the user causes the virtual apparatus to start working and once show a failure to achieve a goal for a particular problem.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the essential images are of a minimum complexity in that they contain little or no information that is not directly related to the problem.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one virtual component has a corresponding flag that is configured to be set upon meeting the criterion related to the particular one of the academic subject area categories, wherein the transformation of a particular type of virtual component is controllable by the corresponding flag in the sequence of problems at selectable levels of training in each academic subject area category, wherein the sequence of problems at the levels of training in each academic subject area category includes a plurality of different animations configured to be displayed on the display.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein when a transformable virtual component is displayed in the form of the displayable language/symbol representation on the display for one or more subsequent problems in the sequence of problems, the transformable virtual component is transformed back to the displayable graphical representation and is displayed in the form of the displayable graphical representation on the display during animations in the one or more subsequent problems.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the answer choices are defined by the virtual apparatus as one or more clickable objects or regions related to the virtual components.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayable language/symbol representation of the at least one predetermined virtual component represents part of a mathematical expression.

16. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

identifying one or more of the virtual components as being transformable between a displayable graphical representation and a corresponding displayable language/symbol representation separately for each academic subject area category; and

wherein upon meeting a criterion related to a particular one of the academic subject area categories, determining which of the identified transformable virtual components is to be transformed from the displayable graphical representation to the displayable language/symbol representation and to be displayed in the form of the displayable language/symbol representation, wherein the criterion related to the particular one of the academic subject area categories includes mastery of the academic subject area category while using the displayable graphical representation for the identified virtual components of the academic subject area category.

17. A method of academic subject training via a computer animation operating in a virtual computing environment, the method comprising:

performing a first computer animation indicative of a mathematically dependent task in an impoverished video environment, wherein the first computer animation is executed by a computing environment having a display;

performing a second computer animation displayed on the display, wherein the second computer animation comprises a display of a multiple step problem and the presentation of a virtual apparatus with virtual components to model properties for a particular academic subject area and to accomplish the mathematically dependent task;

receiving input, via the impoverished video environment, indicative of user manipulation of the virtual apparatus executing in the computing environment so as to solve the multiple step problem, wherein the first and second computer animations are performed without language interaction;

determining, based at least in part on the input, and in response to the input, a transformation of the virtual components of the virtual apparatus; and

automatically animating movement, on the display, of at least some of the virtual components of the virtual apparatus according to the determined transformation and so as to indicate to a user positive or negative feedback relevant to the academic subject matter and the user'"'"'s manipulations if the multiple step problem was, or was not solved correctly,

wherein the academic training is without intervention and instruction by a teacher, wherein in the impoverished video environment only essential images are included in the animation, wherein essential images include only those images directly involved in a problem and its solution, and wherein there is no output on the display not involved in a problem'"'"'s solution, and wherein the first and second displayed animations rely on spatial-temporal reasoning interaction of the user with at least one of the virtual components in the virtual apparatus,

wherein the display of the virtual components includes at least one virtual component that is configured as being transformable between a displayable graphical representation and a corresponding displayable language/symbol representation, and wherein upon meeting a criterion related to a category of the particular academic subject area, the transformable virtual component is indicated to be transformed from the displayable graphical representation to the displayable language/symbol representation, wherein the criterion related to the category of the particular academic subject area includes mastery of the academic subject area category by the user while using the displayable graphical representation for the transformable virtual component of the academic subject area category.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein animating positive feedback comprises showing the user why the multiple step problem was solved correctly.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein showing the user why the multiple step problem was solved correctly comprises animating application of a selected correct solution from a discrete set of solutions to a path in an arena.

20. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising introducing language elements to the user in conjunction with the computer animation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the language elements comprise numerals and/or labels.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the language elements are added to the display near the virtual apparatus.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the language elements are indicative of portions of the virtual apparatus and are added to the display in place of portions of the virtual apparatus.

24. The method of claim 20, additionally comprising solving a new problem in a language-analytic computing environment without the spatial-temporal interactions.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein animating negative feedback comprises showing the user why the problem was not solved correctly.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein showing the user why the multiple step problem was not solved correctly comprises animating application of a selected incorrect solution from a discrete set of solutions to a path in an arena and visually indicates that the virtual apparatus will function incorrectly to attempt solving the multiple step problem.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the method of training is self-contained.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein solving the problem teaches the user to utilize spatial temporal reasoning.

29. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising designating a task to be performed in the computer animation.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the computer animation includes only essential images.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein essential images are images that are only directly involved in the problem and its solution.

32. The method of claim 17, wherein the positive feedback computer animation includes only essential output.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein essential output is graphical output only directly involved in a solution of the problem.

34. The method of claim 17, wherein the negative feedback computer animation includes only essential output.

35. The method of claim 17, wherein animating positive feedback comprises having an animated character traverse a horizontal path in an arena, wherein the path is completed by solving the multiple step problem, and showing proper use of the virtually manipulated apparatus, wherein animating positive feedback is illustrative of logic required to accomplish the task and solve the multiple step problem.

36. The method of claim 17, wherein animating negative feedback comprises having an animated character partially traverse a path up to an obstacle in an arena, and showing improper use of the virtually manipulated apparatus.

37. The method of claim 17, wherein the virtual apparatus comprises virtual components corresponding to a graphical set of possible solutions, including a correct solution, to the multiple step problem, and the received input is indicative of manipulation of one of the set of possible solutions.

38. The method of claim 17, additionally comprising:

determining when a user has mastered an academic concept being taught by the training; and

adding language elements into the computer animation when mastery has been achieved.

39. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one virtual component has a corresponding flag that is configured to be set upon meeting the criterion related to the particular academic subject area, wherein the transformation of a particular type of virtual component is controllable by the corresponding flag in a sequence of problems at selectable levels of training in each academic subject area, wherein the sequence of problems at levels of training in each academic subject area includes a plurality of different animations configured to be displayed on the display.

40. The method of claim 17, wherein when a transformable virtual component is displayed in the form of the displayable language/symbol representation on the display for one or more subsequent problems in a sequence of problems, the transformable virtual component is transformed back to the displayable graphical representation and is displayed in the form of the displayable graphical representation on the display during animations in the one or more subsequent problems.

41. A method of self-contained academic subject training executed by a computing environment including a processor and a display, without intervention and instruction by a teacher, and without language interaction, the method comprising:

performing a first computer animation indicative of a mathematically dependent task in an impoverished video environment, wherein the first computer animation is executed by a processor in the computing environment;

performing a second computer animation displayed on the display, wherein the second computer animation comprises a display of a multiple step problem and the presentation of a virtual apparatus to model properties of, and to accomplish, the mathematically dependent task;

receiving a user input, via the impoverished video environment, indicative of a solution to the multiple step problem using a virtual apparatus with virtual components displayed in the first and second computer animations, wherein the virtual apparatus comprises a graphical entity presented on the display that responds to one or more manipulations by a user of one or more of the virtual components according to rules corresponding to the mathematically dependent task;

determining, based at least in part on the input, and in response to the input, a transformation of the virtual components of the virtual apparatus; and

automatically displaying, on the display, a third computer animation indicating movement of at least some of the virtual components according to the determined transformation so as to indicate feedback that shows the user why the problem was or was not solved correctly in conjunction with the sequence of user manipulations of the virtual components previously received without intervention and instruction by a teacher, and without language interaction,

wherein in the impoverished video environment only essential images are included in the animation, wherein essential images include only those images directly involved in a problem and its solution, and wherein there is no output on the display not involved in a problem'"'"'s solution, and wherein the first, second and third animations rely on display of spatial-temporal reasoning interactions in place of language interactions,

wherein the display of the virtual components includes at least one virtual component that is configured as being transformable between a displayable graphical representation and a corresponding displayable language/symbol representation, and wherein upon meeting a criterion related to a category of a particular academic subject area, the transformable virtual component is indicated to be transformed from the displayable graphical representation to the displayable language/symbol representation, wherein the criterion related to the category of the particular academic subject area includes mastery of the academic subject area category by the user while using the displayable graphical representation for the transformable virtual component of the academic subject area category.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein selection of a wrong virtual component by the user causes the virtual apparatus to start working and show a failure to achieve a goal.