Soldiers Magazine Features ICT

Published: August 9, 2011
Category: News

Soldiers Magazine featured ICT’s efforts combining storytelling and technology to improve Army training. The result has been multiple breakthroughs in virtual reality and emotionally engaging training simulations, movies and games focused on helping servicemembers, said ICT Executive Director Dr. Randall Hill Jr., in the story.
From treating post-traumatic stress disorder, instilling battlefield ethics and teaching improvised explosive device recognition, to addressing myriad other issues for the military, the ICT is making its mark in advancing the Army’s capabilities, the story noted.
Among the projects mentioned in the story, is ELITE (formerly known as VOLT), a new leadership development tool that uses virtual humans for interpersonal skills training.
The program introduces the most advanced virtual human graphics and artificial intelligence technologies to junior officers to give them evidence-based educational techniques. The virtual human to real human interaction gives young leaders practice resolving authentic, complex problems, states the article.
“A lot of leadership is having interpersonal communication skills,” said Kim LeMasters, ICT’s creative director who is working with scientists and Army experts to make sure the program’s scenarios are relevant. “We asked, ‘How do you make it where people can sit down and practice them?’”
Executive Director Randall Hill adds that it’s simple to use the institute’s abilities and he hopes more leaders will.
“We’re sitting in an interesting place in history,” he said. “We can give Soldiers the ability to prepare in ways that weren’t even possible before.”
Read the full story here.