Subventions et des contributions :

Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019).

This Engage project aims to contribute to the enhancement of a virtual reality (VR) system for trainingx000D
interoperability between first responders involved in crisis management and emergency response byx000D
implementing natural 3D sound within the StellarX platform. The main premise of VR is to create an alternatex000D
reality, but without the right audio cues to match the visuals, the brain does not buy into the illusion. Recentx000D
studies indicate that adding 3D sound to a VR environment offers a greater sense of presence, can improvex000D
skills acquisition and task performance, and facilitate attention redirection to relevant aspects. Our approachx000D
combines experimental psychology and cognitive neuroergonomics to turn OVA's platform StellarX into ax000D
powerful training system optimized with natural 3D sound. This will be done by recording a set of sounds thatx000D
match the virtual environment using a binaural recording technique in order to accurately capture sonicx000D
information coming from all directions and produce extremely realistic recordings. In addition, we plan tox000D
verify whether the beneficial aspects associated with natural 3D sound in VR can be observed in a jointx000D
interoperability-training context. This will be done by assessing the sense of presence, skills acquisition, andx000D
task performance, as well as trainees' capacity to redirect attention to relevant 3D sounds. The combination ofx000D
subjective and objective (behavioral and ocular) metrics to evaluate these benefits represents a key innovationx000D
of this project. Results and outcomes will provide an advanced VR training method and a better tool for thex000D
formation of staff, thus allowing targeted techniques to be employed to improve individual or teamx000D
performance. Moreover, this type of training will improve learning since the trainee's sense of presence in thex000D
simulation will be maximized through visual and aural immersion and the simulation content can easily bex000D
adapted to reflect specific needs. Therefore, this project will positively influence the Canadian technological,x000D
financial and education sectors, as well as other areas such as public security, intelligent tutoring and thex000D
gaming industry.