# Presentation: 530370

## Building Visualizations for Training Programs

- Steven Schafrik
- Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research

## Approaches to Learning

- Visual
- Auditory
- Olfactory
- Tactile or kinesthetic
- The best learning occurs with multiple approaches

## Development and Application of Visualization Techniques

- Multimedia Methods
- Immersive/Non-Immersive Environments
- Mockups

## Multimedia

- A multimedia system is a computer-controlled integrated production, manipulation, presentation, storage and communication of information which is encoded on a continuous (time-dependent) and/or a discrete (time-independent) medium.

## Multimedia Features

- Efficient – Can replace information that is read with information that is seen and heard
- Direct – The ideal delivery method for information can be utilized
- Interactive – Genuine and multilevel user interaction

## Multimedia Contents

- Continuous (time-dependent) medium
- Sound
- Audio
- Video
- Animation
- Discrete (time-independent) medium
- Text
- Graphics

## Multimedia Components

**A PC**
- CD-ROM or digital distribution
- Sound card and speakers or headphones
- GUI based Operating System
**Multimedia creation/viewing software**

## The PC

- Bare minimums
- Pentium II
- Sound Card
- 10 Gigs of hard drive space
- Low cost high power system
- P4 (1.7 GHz)
- GeForce4 video card
- 40+ Gigs of hard drive space

## Multimedia Creation/Viewing Software

- Macromedia Products (www.macromedia.com)
- Director (PC based distribution)
- Flash (Web based distribution)
- Shockwave (Web based viewer)
- Dreamweaver (Web design)
- Emblaze Creator (www.emblaze.com)
- Mobile multimedia devices

## Immersive/Non-Immersive Environments

- Virtual Reality Animations and Renderings
- Non-Immersive Virtual Environment
- Immersive Environment

## Virtual Reality Animations and Renderings

- Three-dimensional
- Synthetic, computer-generated
- Real-time graphics
- Viewed from first person POV (user is “inside”)

## Virtual Reality Animations and Renderings (con’d)

- Output from the renderings can be used stand alone or with a multimedia system
- Ability to do forensic analysis
- Produced using 3D Modeling software
- 3D Studio (www.discreet.com)
- Bryce (www.corel.com)
- Maya (www.aliaswavefront.com)

## Non-Immersive Virtual Environment

- Three-dimensional
- Synthetic, computer-generated
- Real-time graphics
- User interaction
- Viewed from first person POV

## Immersive Environments

- Immersion
- Known as *presence*
- Sense of “being there”
- Produced by:
- Enveloping environment
- Natural interaction (view, manipulate)
- Realism
- Responsiveness

## Immersive Environments (con’d)

## Distributed Immersive/Non-Immersive Environments

- Networked Virtual Environments:Software system in which multiple users interact with each other in real-time ... around the world
- Collaborative Virtual EnvironmentsMulti-user computer-based systems which support geographically dispersed users

## Mockups

- Combination of physical simulation and virtual reality
- High accuracy and
- 	interaction
- Expensive and
-     difficult to produce

## Conclusions

- This technology will be improving and continuing into the future
- Web distributed forensic analysis is possible
- Ideal technology for beginner training
- H & S training can be coupled with operational training
- Train and simulate difficult situations or conditions
- Web applications allow training to take place anytime anywhere