Hale K S, Stanney K M, Malone L
Design Interactive, Inc., Oviedo, FL 32765, USA.
Ergonomics. 2009 Feb;52(2):187-203. doi: 10.1080/00140130802376000.
Haptic interaction has been successfully incorporated into a variety of virtual environment (VE) systems, yet designing multimodal VE training systems remains challenging as each cue incorporated during training should maximise learning and training transfer. This study examined the impact of incorporating two independent, spatialised tactile cues and vestibular cues into a military VE training environment with the goal of empirically examining whether such cues could enhance performance within the training environment and also that knowledge and skills gained during training could transfer to another environment. The results showed that tactile cues enhanced spatial awareness and performance during both repeated training and within a transfer environment, yet there were costs associated when two independent tactile cues were presented during training. In addition, results suggest that spatial awareness benefits from a tactile point indicator may be impacted by vestibular cues, as performance benefits were seen when tactile cues were paired with head tracking. To fully realise training potential, it is essential to determine how best to leverage multimodal capacity of VE training systems by identifying how multimodal training cues may advance knowledge, skills and attitudes of trainees. Results from this study provide design guidelines for incorporating tactile cues in VE training environments to enhance spatial awareness.
触觉交互已成功应用于各种虚拟环境（VE）系统中，但设计多模态VE训练系统仍然具有挑战性，因为训练过程中融入的每个线索都应最大限度地提高学习效果和训练迁移能力。本研究考察了将两种独立的、空间化的触觉线索和前庭线索融入军事VE训练环境的影响，目的是通过实证研究这些线索是否能提高训练环境中的表现，以及训练期间获得的知识和技能是否能迁移到另一个环境。结果表明，触觉线索在重复训练和迁移环境中均能增强空间意识和表现，但在训练过程中呈现两种独立的触觉线索时会有相应代价。此外，结果表明，触觉点指示器带来的空间意识益处可能会受到前庭线索的影响，因为当触觉线索与头部跟踪配对时会看到表现提升。为了充分实现训练潜力，通过确定多模态训练线索如何促进学员的知识、技能和态度，来确定如何最好地利用VE训练系统的多模态能力至关重要。本研究结果为在VE训练环境中融入触觉线索以增强空间意识提供了设计指导。
