Situated simulation for training, education, and therapy

• US 10,089,895 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
• Original Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
• Inventors: Williams, Stacy L., Buchner, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaman, Sadaruz
• Application Number:
  US14/540,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20150072322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 434185, 434156
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/02 of the type wherein the student is expected to construct an answer to the question which is presented or wherein the machine gives an answer to the question presented by a student
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with producing an immersive training content module (ITCM) are described. One example system includes a capture logic to acquire information from which the ITCM may be produced. An ITCM may include a set of nodes, a set of measures, a logic to control transitions between nodes during a training session, and a logic to establish values for measures during the training sessions. Therefore, the example system may also include an assessment definition logic to define a set of measures to be included in the ITCM and an interaction logic to define a set of interactions to be included in the ITCM. The ITCM may be written to a computer-readable medium.

Claims

1. A bio-feedback responsive training system, comprising:

a bio-feedback sensor structured to measure bio-feedback corresponding to physical or behavioral non-verbal characteristics of a user;

a training device comprising;

a display screen,

a non-transitory computer readable medium structured to store a plurality of instructions, and

a microprocessor structured to execute the plurality of instructions,

wherein the plurality of instructions are structured to be executed by the microprocessor effective to;

generate an avatar using a set of information to portray a communication disorder by rendering the avatar on the display screen;

receive a set of real-time bio-feedback measurements from the bio-feedback sensor;

adapt, in real-time, the avatar rendered on the display screen in response to the real-time bio-feedback measurements;

define a set of nodes, using an electronic data object, corresponding to actions indicative of the communication disorder that are selectively performed by the avatar as rendered on the display screen;

electronically populate electronic measures associated with the set of nodes with values that correspond to diagnostic tools selected according to an electronic input by the user to analyze the actions performed by the avatar;

transition between nodes of the set of nodes based, at least in part, on the values of the electronic input selected by the user in response to the adapted avatar as rendered on the display screen so as to provide adaptive training to the user according to the selected values and the real-time bio-feedback measurements, and where each of the set of nodes causes the avatar to perform different actions; and

electronically generate and assign a score to the values of the electronic input selected by the user to evaluate a training competency of the user in identifying the communication disorder.

2. The system of claim 1, where the set of nodes are defined to form a graph type of electronic data structure.

3. The system of claim 1, where the electronic input specifies a value in response to a selection of one of the diagnostic tools by the user through a graphical user interface (GUI).

4. The system of claim 1, where the score is a function of a metric used to evaluate the values selected when traversing nodes by the user.

5. The system of claim 1, where generating the avatar to portray the communication disorder includes generating the avatar with an articulatory movement, an articulatory precision, voice modulation, voice resonance, pacing, stuttering, slurring, autism characteristics, selective mutism characteristics, aphasia characteristics, language learning disabilities, cognitive/mental challenges, or a comprehension measure associated with the communication disorder.

6. The system of claim 1, where the training device is configured to transition to a different node based, at least in part, on an amount of time for the user to select the value of the plurality of values.

7. The system of claim 1, where the display screen is structured to render the avatar in a setting including one of a higher education setting, an allied health professional setting, a hostage negotiation setting, an occupational therapy setting, or a physical therapy setting.

8. A speech therapy training system comprising:

a heart rate monitor structured to measure a real-time heart rate of a user;

a training device comprising;

a display;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store a set of instructions, and

a microprocessor structured to receive the set of instructions and execute the set of instructions to as to;

electronically generate an avatar to portray a communication disorder by electronically rendering the avatar on the display;

update the rendered avatar in real-time in response to the real-time heart rate measurements measured by the heart rate monitor;

define a set of nodes corresponding to actions indicative of the communication disorder that are selectively performed by the avatar, where defining the set of nodes includes defining the set of nodes by generating an electronic data object with node elements that correspond with the actions;

electronically populate measures associated with the set of nodes with values that correspond to diagnostic tools specified by an electronic input selected by a user in response to analyzing the actions performed by the avatar, where the measures are electronic data structures that store the electronic input and are electronically associated with the set of nodes;

transition between nodes based, at least in part, on the values selected by the user in response to the actions of the avatar and the real-time heart rate measurements, where transitioning between the nodes provides adaptive training to the user according to the selected values and the real-time heart rate measurements by causing the avatar to be rendered portraying different actions according to the set of nodes; and

electronically generate and assign a score to the values of the electronic input selected by the user to evaluate a training competency of the user in identifying the communication disorder.

9. The system of claim 8, where the set of nodes are defined to form a graph type of electronic data structure.

10. The system of claim 8, where a value is electronically generated and stored in one of the measures in response to the electronic input provided upon the user selecting one of the diagnostic tools, where the measures are electronic data structures that correlate with actions of the user.

11. The system of claim 8, where the score is a function of a metric to evaluate the values selected when traversing set of nodes.

12. The system of claim 8, where generating the score is a function of an amount of time that a user takes to select a value.

13. The system of claim 8, where generating the avatar to portray the communication disorder includes generating the avatar with an articulatory movement, an articulatory precision, voice modulation, voice resonance, pacing, stuttering, slurring, autism characteristics, selective mutism characteristics, aphasia characteristics, language-learning disabilities, cognitive/mental challenges and a comprehension measure associated with the communication disorder.

14. The system of claim 8, where the display screen is structured to render the avatar in a setting including one of a higher education setting, an allied health professional setting, a hostage negotiation setting, an occupational therapy setting, or a physical therapy setting.

15. A communication disorder diagnosis trainer comprising:

a bio-feedback sensor structured to measure, in real-time, a behavioral non-verbal characteristic of a user;

a computer including;

an electronic display;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium structured to store a set of instructions; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory storage readable medium and the biofeedback sensor, the processor being structured to execute the set of instructions,

wherein the set of instructions, when executed by the processor, are structured to;

electronically generate an avatar to portray a communication disorder by rendering the avatar on the electronic display according to at least one or more gestures that are indicative of the communication disorder;

update the avatar rendered on the electronic display in real-time using the measurements received from the bio-feedback sensor;

define a set of nodes in an electronic data structure corresponding to actions indicative of the communication disorder that are selectively performed by the avatar, where defining the set of nodes includes defining the set of nodes using an electronic data object;

electronically populate measures associated with the set of nodes with values provided via an electronic input that corresponds to diagnostic tools selected by a user in response to analyzing the actions performed by the avatar;

electronically transition between nodes based, at least in part, on the values selected by the user and received as the electronic input in response to the actions of the avatar rendered using the measurements received from the bio-feedback sensor, where transitioning between the nodes provides adaptive training to the user according to the selected values by causing the avatar to be rendered portraying different actions as defined within the set of nodes; and

electronically generate and assign a score to the values selected by the user to evaluate a training competency of the user in identifying the communication disorder portrayed by the avatar.