Cranial Tap Forms Partnership
By · CommentsCranial Tap announces today a partnership with Innovative Systems and Human Mosaic Systems. This new venture promises to deliver decades of applied research and cognitive application development to learning in simulated environments. The three firms will combine their expertise to deliver highly interactive and responsive 3D virtual reality environments.
Human Mosaic Systems will provide expertise in the area of human dynamics related to individual learning and group collaboration. Innovative Systems will provide cognitive decision systems to increase the effectiveness of complex training scenarios within 3D environments. Cranial Tap is well known for developing engaging 3D spaces embedded with their learning and training solutions. The combined forces of these three companies will provide new levels of immersive education that results in higher retention rates of subject matter, lowered training costs and the reduction of risk to human life.
Press Release
Round Hill, Va., November 16, 2010 — Cranial Tap, Inc., a leading developer of virtual world solutions, announces a partnership with Innovative Decisions, Inc. and Human Mosaic Systems. The partnership will bring new capabilities and technologies to the virtual world learning, training and simulation fields.
Backed by proven cognitive decision-making technologies, students and trainees will benefit from critical thinking systems based upon dialog theory. Training no longer needs to be a series of static steps. The new partnership will offer dynamic processes that evolve to reinforce subject judgment. Training variables can dynamically change to accommodate choices made by individuals, and groups. Simulated scenarios can be played out in endless configurations as driven by data, interactions, dialog and choices made. Virtual characters, or bots, will be programmed to interact intelligently and be capable of reason. Through these solutions, trainees will receive a realistic exposure to life situations.
Through the new partnership, a deep understanding of human psychology and social behavior will be applied to virtual learning simulations. Using scientific approaches, learning scenarios will anticipate human behavior to deliver maximum educational benefit. The introduction of the human element into complex training creates a more meaningful and rewarding learning experience for individuals and groups alike.
Global corporations, institutions of higher learning and organizations are using virtual reality systems at an increasing rate. Virtual environments are effective in connecting dispersed team members, reducing travel costs, minimizing the need for physical space and high rates of subject matter retention. Visual learning and training environments allow individuals to experience situations without risk to human life or property.
Examples of learning and training scenarios in virtual world environments include nurse and technician training, commercial safety, group critical thinking exercises, product and facility orientation, scientific and academic research, workplace relationships and emergency preparedness.
“We are excited about this new partnership and the value it will deliver,” said Dave Levinson, President of Cranial Tap. “Organizations are seeking more effective and engaging ways to train their staff and students. This new joint relationship offers deep insight and knowledge that will take learning environments to new levels.”
Dennis Buede, President of Innovative Decisions, added “Our intelligent agent technology can dramatically improve the effectiveness of virtual training and education applications. We are enthusiastic about applying this technology, Dynamic Decision Networks, to the critical task of dramatically increasing the productivity and value of an organization’s most critical resource, its people.”
“Human Mosaic Systems is very excited to be a part of this partnership with Cranial Tap and Innovative Decisions”, said Beverly Gay, President of HMS. “The unique combination of each of our companies’ skills will help to move the field forward in realizing the incredible power and potential of 3D immersive environments, especially with regard to facilitating individual and group learning and interactions.”
About Cranial Tap, Inc.
Cranial Tap, Inc. is a leading virtual world development firm located in the metro Washington, DC area. The company supports corporations, universities and organizations around the world in the development of 3D environments embedded with productive technology solutions. With a focus on virtual learning and training solutions, the company designs and constructs highly interactive spaces with effective results. More than 500,000 people have been trained using their innovative solutions geared specifically to virtual world environments. As denoted by Linden Lab, parent of Second Life, the firms is recognized as a Gold Solution Provider. Cranial Tap’s clients include Corbis, Cognizant, AOL, 1-800-Flowers, Michigan State University College of Nursing, NIC USA, and University of Virginia. Website: cranialtap.com.
About Innovative Decisions, Inc.
IDI specializes in using analytical methods and models to bring insight and closure to decision makers. Our methods include decision and risk analysis, modeling and simulation, systems engineering, performance measurement, and facilitated group decision conferencing. Our Dynamic Decision Network technology has been implemented for dozens of applications associated with the Army’s Future Combat System. IDI’s analysts have decades of successful experience applying these methods to agencies in the Intelligence Community, the services and agencies in the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, and government contractors. Website: www.innovativedecisions.com.
About Human Mosaic Systems
Human Mosaic Systems facilitates human systems through designing robust 3D immersive environments with the complex dynamics of individuals and groups, their avatars, and the virtual environment in mind. We are architects who understand how individual and group dynamics in the physical world extend into 3D immersive or virtual environments and design spaces and courses/workshops with a deep understanding of how these complex dynamics impact organizations, teams, and individuals. We can help organizational leaders develop greater understanding and abilities to help meet the new challenges facing organizations in today's fast paced complex world. Website: www.humanmosaicsystems.com.
Contacts
For Cranial Tap:
Nancy Ritchie
703- 879-8499
info@cranialtap.com
For Innovative Decisions:
Dennis Buede
703-861-3678
dbuede@innovativedecisions.com
For Human Mosaic Systems:
Beverly Gay McCarter
731-431-1596
bgmccarter@hmsystems.net
Humanities Virtual World Consortium Presentation
By · CommentsCranial Tap's Dave Levinson was recently invited to speak at a Humanities Virtual World Consortium (HVWC) meeting, by faculty from the University of Virginia (UVA) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The purpose of the consortium is to complete a proposal, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, related to a planning grant. The ultimate goal is to transform and advance research in enabling significant and sustainable humanistic inquiry in virtual worlds.
HVWC explored how the unique characteristics of networked virtual worlds can enable and advance humanistic research while working towards creating a sustainable basis for the mainstreaming of such technology in scholarly circles. The consortium is the collaborative effort of seven institutions constituting the HVWC that is the guiding force behind the consortiums proposal. King's College London, Ohio State University, the Royal Irish Academy, the University of California, Mercer and the University of Virginia.
The HVWC project involves a six month assessment and planning program in which the collaborating institutions will develop the foundation for a multiphase, multiyear program aimed at enabling significant and sustainable humanistic inquiry in virtual worlds.
The overall intent of the HVWC project is to demonstrate how networked virtual worlds can uniquely enable important kinds of research inquiry, and thus contribute to the transformation of scholarly communication in the relevant subject fields and to the field of digital humanities. With this in mind, projects were chosen so that they span multiple disciplines—Archaeology, Art History, Architectural History, Buddhist Studies, Classics, History, Egyptology, Irish Studies, Latin American Studies, Literary Studies, Native American Studies, Tibetan Studies, and so forth—and periods from the ancient past to contemporary times. While the projects explore discipline specific research questions, they share common goals concerning humanities research and scholarly communication in a virtual world environment.
Consortium speaker lineup included:
9:30-11:15: Presentation and discussion of Unity as potential solution led by Lars Kroll Kristensen, Technical director, Unity Studios
11:30-1pm: Presentation/discussion of OpenSim implementation led by Robert Smart, Emerging Technology Specialist, CIO Lab.
1pm-2pm: Lunch and informal discussion of Lars' solutions and Robert's recommendations.
2pm-3:30: Virtual Presentation and discussion led by Dave Levinson, President of Cranial Tap. Focus especially on new developments in Second Life and OpenSim.
4pm-5:30pm: Presentation by Nicole Yankelovich, Executive Director, Open Wonderland Foundation 6pm Jim Packer's public lecture.
Scholars at UCLA were among the first to create scientifically accurate, large scale virtual recreations of historic environments. Over the last fifteen years UCLA centers, labs, and individuals from a wide range of fields have developed substantial expertise in the creation and application of recreated real time virtual environments for research and education.
Dave presented to the London consortium meeting virtually, using his Second Life avatar, from Cranial Tap's northern Virginia offices. He shared marketplace trending, case studies and virtual world solutions offered by Cranial Tap.
Cranial Tap is pleased to announce Michigan State University College of Nursing as their latest client. We feel honored to be supporting MSU and their progressive position on education. While project specifics are not available at this time, the university will be providing students with cutting edge curriculum now, and well into the future. This institution is internationally recognized for their educational nursing and medical programs.
Over the last couple of years, our company has focused heavily on supporting educational institutions around the world. Michigan State University is now included in the growing ranks of educational institutions supported by Cranial Tap. Others include the University of Virginia, Northern Virginia Community College, King Khalid University and the CyberWatch organization.
Cranial Tap, a virtual world developer, offers several solutions geared specifically for immersive 3D platforms in support of learning and training. Our highly interactive environments are embedded with computer-driven characters, or bots. The bot avatars are often customized to meet various cultural, socioeconomic or demographic needs. Bot can support self-based training and aid in replicating real world scenarios. Students and trainees interact with environment components while making decisions along branching story lines. Streaming media can be presented in meaningful ways throughout the training experience. As learning choices are made, the central HUB controller records every action for purpose of assessment.
Often, our clients leverage the Cranial Tap CommTool HUD solution as a means to manage all front-end communication, interactivity, dialog, environment administration, data and curriculum. The HUD is capable of media sharing, dialog support, locating virtual environment points of interest, accessing data from external sources and location based information. This highly successful virtual world solution can be customized to meet nearly any virtual world training and learning scenario. More information about Cranial Tap solutions for virtual worlds can be found on our Solutions page.
About Michigan State University College of Nursing
The College of Nursing at Michigan State University is an international leader in technology-assisted learning for nurses, from entry into practice through professional development, and has responded to the nursing shortage by creating curricula and learning opportunities that facilitate access to higher education. Our graduates are leaders in healthcare who anticipate and respond to the ever-changing needs of a global community.
The mission of Michigan State University's College of Nursing is to enhance the health of the community by providing excellence in nursing education, advancing the profession of nursing and serving as an advocate for optimal health care for all people.
Michigan State University College of Nursing History:
Nursing education has been offered at Michigan State University since 1925 when a five-year program was instituted jointly between the School of Home Economics and the Edward W. Sparrow Hospital School of Nursing in Lansing, Michigan. Since that time the evolution of the program through the current period has reflected the development of nursing nationally and internationally.
Website: nursing.msu.edu
Meet Tia, professional virtual bot
By · CommentsTia is Cranial Tap's virtual receptionist. She works purely in Second Life at the Cranial Tap virtual headquarters on the Cortex region. Her role is to greet visitors as they enter the building to learn more about our company. Virtual computer driven characters work tirelessly around the clock and have no need to call in sick. While today, they cannot replace humans, they do serve a valuable purpose.
Computer driven characters, or bots, serve many purposes in virtual environments today. Aside from the ability to greet humans in personalized ways, bots also provide information, host virtual tours and even relay communications. Backed by an artificial intelligence engine, Tia's abilities are supported by nearly half a million lines of dialog. On a regular basis, our team sorts through captured dialog sessions to identify communication areas that require improvement. This process helps to make future discussions with humans more effective.
You can visit Tia and chat with her using the following SLurl: slurl.com/secondlife/Cortex/27/231/56. A Second Life account is required to visit this location. Upon entering, she will greet you and ask how she may help. Using Chat, you can ask Tia a wide range of questions and she'll do her best to respond in an appropriate manner. She will ask for clarification should she not understand something. She even tells a joke or two upon request.
Computer driven bots can take many forms. Some feature a humanoid appearance while others may be machinery, animals or simply a presence. Offering the ability to interact, educate, provide presence and even train, bots are taking on serious roles in the virtual world realm. Whatever form they take, their effectiveness is seen in terms of trainee satisfaction and the ability to communicate using free-form discussion.
Virtual bots can be embedded into 3D learning and training environments to represent humans that role play in specific situations. A cast of characters can be used to replicate, or re-enact, real life situations. In doing so, an actual staff is not required in support. Trainees gain exposure to highly engaging online scenarios without traveling and risking costly new hire mistakes. Using virtual environments allow trainees to gain familiarity with work processes in complete safety.
Simulated humans can provide walking tours of 3D online spaces. Learning stations can be explored by groups of students or trainees to become familiar with real life environments. These environments can be open around the clock and accessible from anywhere in the world. Providing early access to simulated situations is an effective way to introduce associates to new concepts and surroundings.
The new hire demographic today is often associated with the Millennial generation. Some of our clients pursue use of virtual world environments not only for the inherent benefits, but to draw the attention of this demographic. This younger generation class has grown up alongside the use of technology, gaming and different lifestyles.
Cranial Tap, a virtual world developer, offers many types computer driven bots to meet nearly any learning and training need. Visit our Contact page to ask us how we can reduce your training costs while making them more effective.
Premade virtual work environment
By · CommentsCranial Tap now offers a pre-built virtual world work environment called Productivity Place. This complete virtual world environment features meeting space, an exhibit hall with booths, classrooms, work areas, auditoriums and lecture halls. Included are the time tested Media Display sharing solution and the CommTool HUD learning system.
If your virtual environment needs are immediate, this region can be setup within a day. Contact us for more information about this Second Life and Open Sim environment. Below is the Productivity Place video.
Virtual world environments such as Productivity Place are used by our clients to bring together remote staff, students and associates. Conducting training sessions and virtual trade show exhibitions using virtual spaces can reduce operational costs and the need for physical buildings. Why travel when your organization can logon and be highly productive with a terrific sense of presence with others.
Training benefits in virtual environments
By · CommentsLeveraging virtual worlds for corporate training provides several immediate benefits to business. In the past, professional trainers had to be flown to physical locations incurring travel costs, hotel bills, rental car charges and Per Diem fees. If these costly factors are eliminated, corporate training fees would be immediately reduced. Typical fees might look something like this:
Plane fare: $500
Hotel bill, 2 nights: $500
Rental car: $250
Per diem, 3 days: $400
Total $1650
For one, six-hour training session, up to three days of the trainer's time is required. Outside of the actual training fee, the travel costs and time spent are significant. Virtual world environments allow a typical corporate trainer to provide the same level of service while focusing on the session itself. The value proposition of six hours spent, rather than three days, is enormous.
The following video features a notable management trainer from Carnegie Melon University. Sitting in the comfort of his home, he instructs a large class of Cognizant employees. These staffers are located in various places around the world, representing a handful of time zones. The fact that most of these associates are not in the same physical location matters little.
The most common question that Cranial Tap fields from perspective clients is "Why use virtual worlds when we have PictureTel and WebEx." The answer is simple: Presence. Video tools and screen sharing applications support effective communication, but are often dry while limiting creativity. Virtual environments require the attention of participants, especially with engaging presenters (such as this instructor) who calls on individuals for their input. Further, these sessions are an enjoyable activity for everyone involved. This is evident in the video as determined by the level of excitement and eagerness to participate. The benefits of such training sessions are clear.
The need for a physical training rooms are made irrelevant when using 3D online spaces. Projecting forward, the need for office space can be drastically reduced, or even eliminated. The costs savings for this benefit alone can be significant. Once a virtual environment has been constructed, it can be used again and again for nominal maintenance fees associated with virtual land. Further, virtual training rooms can be changed on demand to accommodate shifting needs. For example, a control panel can provide the ability to add rows of seating, additional Media Display devices, expanded room, interior design elements and time of day.
As can be seen in the video, our technical solutions help maintain order during these types of sessions. The HUD (upper left) allows staffers to be placed in a queue for pending questions. This prevents the attendees from blurting out verbal comments while the instructor is speaking. In addition, the HUD is fed content from Media Display, located just behind the podium. As the instructor changes content in his/her custom play list, the HUD is always in sync. Should the instructor use the pointer feature to highlight a component in the Display, that too is shown within the HUD solution.
The benefits of using immersive environments are many. These include the reduction of operational costs, reduced travel fees, work location flexibility, engaging training sessions, interactive components, media sharing and increased productivity. As a developer of virtual world environments, we receive this feedback from clients on a regular basis. Would your firm or organization like to know more about this growing field? Navigate to the Cranial Tap Contact page and send us a message. We'll be happy to schedule time for a conversation and explain the benefits at length.
Virtual Greek Theater for King Khalid University
By · CommentsCranial Tap recently completed construction of a virtual Greek theater for King Khalid University. The university, located in Saudi Arabia, is interested in using virtual world environments in support of drama based curriculum. The theater will be used to create and present plays before students and faculty.
The use of 3D online places allows students, from various locations, to collaborate without meeting in person. Virtual costumes can be created, acting scenarios can be tested and various types of media integrated. Virtual props can be introduced in ways not possible in the real world. Voice and text based dialog can be experimented with to provide maximum dramatic effect. These elements represent unique forms of team building around goal oriented projects.
Virtual storytelling is a field that is now coming into it's own. Organizations and colleges around the world recognize the value of immersive spaces that are truly compelling for participants and audiences alike. Not only are these efforts produced at a relatively low cost, they can be built quickly. In doing so, experimentation flourishes while encouraging exciting potential previously out of reach.
Virtual world environments have finally matured at the consumer level. It is now easier than ever to create 3D online spaces in support of hundreds of various topics. Use of these spaces for drama based curriculum represents only one of them,
Announcing CyberWatch Virtual Environment
By · Comments
Cranial Tap is proud to announce the CyberWatch virtual environment in Second Life. After months of meetings, planning, design and construction, the region is now open. We view this launch as an important step in support of educational services using 3D online worlds. The announcement provides further credibility to the growing importance of virtual world spaces used for serious and productive work. Virtual reality development is finally coming into its own and becoming recognized for high retention visual learning, cost savings, productive meetings with remote staff and collaborative research.
See the CyberWatch gallery here: cranialtap.com/virtual-world-gallery/cyberwatch-gallery
YouTube video of the environment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeOZwOCJM10
Several Cranial Tap solutions are embedded into the environment, making it highly productive. The Cranial Tap Media Display is used to share curriculum and presentations. A customized CommTool HUD system provides menu choices and content directly to users display. These solutions work together in providing a learning and training platform in virtual environments.
CyberWatch Launches Virtual World Environment for Learning, Training and Global Meetings
Second Life environment will extend services to national members in virtual space.
CyberWatch will conduct professional development workshops and presentations on an ongoing basis to both members and the public alike. The public section features information related to CyberWatch’s business partners and the organization itself. The stylish outdoor auditorium will be used to present information to the public through scheduled events. The private section features two large buildings that contain classrooms, social meeting areas, auditoriums, and lecture halls. The landscape sports a central lake with plants and rolling hills. A bridge connects both halves of the island. Second Life users can access the CyberWatch region using this link: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/CyberWatch/123/50/23
Dr. Robert Spear, Director of CyberWatch, states, “CyberWatch has grown from its initial 10 member institutions in the Washington, DC metro area to 50 institutions scattered across 18 states. We simply cannot afford to bring faculty together for professional development activities. The CyberWatch Second Life Island allows us to train faculty anywhere without leaving their home locations. This is a most cost-effective solution to our training needs.”
The virtual CyberWatch environment was designed and built by Cranial Tap, Inc., a metro Washington, DC area development firm. The island was developed by working closely with CyberWatch organization leaders to meet specific goals on behalf of their partners and members.
“Working with the CyberWatch organization was a terrific experience for our staff, “said Dave Levinson, President of Cranial Tap. “We appreciate the opportunity to serve the cyber security community in engaging and interactive ways. Virtual world environments are increasingly becoming recognized for their ability to assemble associates from all corners of the world in pursuit of learning, training, research, and collaboration”.
About CyberWatch (www.cyberwatchcenter.org)
CyberWatch is an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Center funded by the National Science Foundation and headquartered at Prince George’s Community College, Maryland. CyberWatch functions as a consortium of higher education institutions, businesses, and government agencies focused on improving the quality and the quantity of the information assurance workforce. In addition, CyberWatch works to increase the awareness of information assurance issues in the education and business communities. Consortium participants collaborate to share best practices, methodologies, curricula, and course modules and materials. CyberWatch provides faculty training and support to colleges who want to develop or upgrade an information assurance curriculum. CyberWatch develops career pathways, including articulation agreements from high schools to colleges, from community colleges to baccalaureate institutions, and on into graduate school. CyberWatch sponsors student competitions in cyber defense, digital forensics, and security awareness; and it organizes scholarships, internships, and job fairs. CyberWatch maintains an extensive K-12 program for teachers, counselors, and students. And finally CyberWatch engages in significant outreach and dissemination initiatives to the public. More information about the organization is available at http://cyberwatchcenter.org/
About Cranial Tap (www.cranialtap.com)
Cranial Tap, Inc. is a leading virtual world solution provider located in the metro Washington, DC area. Cranial Tap has been certified as an elite Gold Solution Provider by Linden Labs, creators of Second Life. The company provides cutting edge solutions for businesses, academia and organizations helping them to realize the potential of online, 3D virtual worlds. The technologies serve as a platform for global collaboration, ideas sharing, research, teleworking, embedded learning/training, recruiting, and branding. Cranial Tap’s clients include Corbis, Cognizant, AOL, 1-800-Flowers, CyberExtruder, Oddcast, and MJM Creative Services. Learn more at www.cranialtap.com, or visit Cortex Island in Second Life at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cortex/27/231/56.
Contacts
For CyberWatch:
Fran Melvin
301-322-0452
Nancy Ritchie
703- 879-8499
nancy@cranialtap.com
Virtual WeatherBug panel exceeds 13,000 copies
By · CommentsSince launching in late 2008, more than 13,000 copies of the Cranial Tap WeatherBug panel have been provided to residents of Second Life at no charge. This virtual data visualization tool provides real time weather data captured by more than 8000 collection sites across the United States. Panel owners enter their zip code to see actual weather data in their chosen location. The panel automatically updates every 15 minutes providing accurate results including time, temperature, wind direction / speed and an icon representing current conditions.
Being a virtual world development company, Cranial Tap continually strives to create technologies that increase the usefulness of immersive spaces. The weather panel serves as an example of how real world data can be leveraged in virtual world environments. While many of our solutions are far more complex, the WeatherBug panel has served the Second Life community for fun and entertainment. A video of the panel in action can be see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qDILwBc15U. You can get your own virtual WeatherBug panel at the Second Life region named Cortex.
Cranial Tap CEO Dave Levinson will present before the Boston ADAPT training organization on September 16. He will discuss how clients are leveraging virtual world environments for learning and training purposes. The presentation will be simulcast in four locations. The event itself will be conducted within the Second Life platform and distributed to the four locations. ADAPT group members will be encouraged to pose questions following the presentation.
Today's businesses seek ways to reduce training costs while making them more effective. These firms are turning to platforms such as Second Life to answer the need. Virtual world simulated environments are responsible for providing highly effective ways to bring staff together while increasing productivity. The immersive properties of 3D virtual worlds can simulate real world events resulting in high rates of curriculum retention.
The Association for Development, Advancement and Productivity Through Technology Training (ADAPT) group is comprised of IT training professionals representing firms and organizations from the greater Boston area. More information about the organization can be found at their website: http://www.adapttrain.org/index.htm.
Should your organization or firm be interested in having Dave present, feel free to contact us using our contact page.
