Augmented Reality Sandtable (ARES) Impacts on Learning

Abstract

The Army Future Command’s Synthetic Training Environment (STE) is positioned to push innovation in training technologies to provide distributed, digital training experiences where and when needed. This paper supports the future training vision in providing an empirical evaluation of how various display technologies influence spatial knowledge within a battlespace visualization context. Three display media were evaluated: a 3D digital map displayed on a 17” monitor, a 2D map digitally down-projected onto a sand table, and a 3D virtual map of a sand table surface rendered in a Microsoft® HoloLens®. Results showed that media used did not significantly alter the participants’ accuracy in performing the tasks, but did have an effect on their time to complete terrain feature identification and SJT tasks, and on their engagement with the tools. Future research should be conducted to assess the potential for learning, the persistence of learning and the transfer of training to real-world activities as compared to traditional training tools within team, collaborative settings – matching the expected training environment of the STE.