The use of synthetic crewmembers is aimed at solving a long-standing aircrew training challenge – how to train an individual to complete a mission that usually takes a team. The general purpose of synthetic crewmembers in training is to provide automated and realistic voice communications, as well as behaviors, to support trainee learning. However, prior to implementing this type of new technology into the current training environment, it is important to assess both instructor and student perceptions, in order to gauge both acceptance of new technologies and expectations of this new training environment. In order to do so, surveys were created for both instructors and students.
Participants included 38 instructors and 74 students from the U.S. Navy P-8A maritime patrol community. Participants responded to survey questions regarding their trust in synthetic crewmembers, their expectations of synthetic crewmember behavior, and likely crewmember capabilities. Instructor questions were focused around instructor needs that synthetic crewmembers could support, while student questions were more focused on expected interaction types with these synthetic crewmembers. Overall results support that students and instructors are cautiously optimistic about the technologies, but have some trepidation regarding the likely issues in integrating new technologies into existing systems, as well as difficulties trusting synthetic crewmembers to perform adequately. Results will help prioritize verbal and behavioral actions that synthetic crewmembers should be able to perform prior to integration in training.
Overall, it is clear that synthetic crewmembers have the capability to mediate instructor workload, allowing them to spend a training evolution providing instruction and feedback, rather than focusing on role playing other crewmembers or entities needed in a given training environment. These initial results can provide a base from which to refine the technologies to better support the Fleet and to provide an initial look at ways to ease automated technology integration.