Virtual Medic (vMedic) is a single-player and multi-player training system that uses game-engine based simulation and state-of-the-art instructional development technology to support a trainee’s need to master a variety of competencies and to apply them in unique situations. The simulation immerses trainee into scenario driven events intended to teach and evaluate a trainee’s knowledge regarding the essential tactics, techniques and procedures required to successfully perform as an Army Combat Medic and Combat Lifesaver (CLS). Those key tasks include the ability to assess casualties, perform triage, provide initial treatment, and prepare a casualty for evacuation under battlefield conditions.

The Emergency Management Staff Trainer is a multi-player simulation-based exercise system geared toward emergency response professionals. EMST provides scenarios, exercises, and other capabilities that support the structure of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), including both individual and team training for the fifteen FEMA Emergency Support Functions (ESFs). EMST is an all-hazards trainer, with a range of scenarios including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, pandemic, and civil unrest. Each EMST exercise scenario presents an unfolding situation through email, news videos, website articles, simulated phone calls, meetings, maps, images, and other injects, and requires the participant to take action to respond to or mitigate the situation.

EMST is web-based and requires no software installation; participants simply log in through any available web browser and proceed through an exercise. Scenarios within EMST are scalable and can provide role-specific training for a single person, a team, or multiple agencies working together in any domain where communication, collaboration, workflow, processes and procedures are critical. EMST also incorporates an After Action Review capability and automatically assesses how well each participant handles each situation, which results in a full readiness assessment. Although EMST is broad in scope, scenarios can be tailored to specifically address the complex requirements associated with the disaster medical response community. These tailored scenarios will enable a disaster response team to achieve particular readiness levels over a variety of mission types. Readiness levels can be achieved individually, as a team, and as an organization.

NATO’s Allied Command Transformation is investigating technologies that could be used to augment or replace existing methods for education and training of NATO staff. In order to facilitate this need, ECS has been tasked with developing a series of Virtual Worlds for NATO-ACT within the Nexus Virtual World platform. In support of both Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean and NATO’s anti-piracy mission around the Horn of Africa, the next technology demonstration is focused on Maritime Interdiction Operations.

First, the trainees will learn the MIO material using courseware and live instruction in a virtual classroom. They will then participate in an immersive team-based mission to board and search a suspect merchant shipping vessel. Trainees will be tasked with crew control and identification, as well as searching the vessel for weapons, IED components, other contraband or suspect cargo. The trainees score will be tracked, challenging them to prove that they met the training objectives. This advanced learning technology will help teams better prepare for the live training at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center (NMIOTC).

Engineering & Computer Simulations

Contract#: N00178-11-D-6541

SEAPORT Enhanced (SEAPORTe) MAC

Engineering & Computer Simulations (ECS) is extremely proud to be part of NAVSEA’s SEAPORTe Team.

In 2002, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) promulgated Seapower 21.  It provides a framework to align, organize and integrate the U.S. Navy to meet the wide variety of challenges that lie ahead. The CNO called upon the entire Navy, including Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the Warfare Centers (WCs), to find ways to become more efficient and effective.

SeaPort Enhanced (SEAPORT-e) makes electronic procurement of Engineering, Technical and Programmatic support services at NAVSEA’s Warfare Center community a reality.  SEAPORT-e extends the current procurement vehicle, SeaPort, by leveraging SeaPort’s successful business model and efficiencies.  The integration of SeaPort and SEAPORT-e emphasizes NAVSEA’s strong commitment to customers and industry partners alike.  Together, SeaPort and SEAPORT-e will help NAVSEA reduce costs and promote business efficiencies in the effort to lead the Navy on a successful course.  ECS is READY do what is necessary to make this Vision a Reality.

Engineering & Computer Simulations, Inc. is a software development and solutions company located in Orlando, Florida. The core mission of the organization is to provide advanced learning technology solutions to clients within the Commercial and Government sector. The company’s technology portfolio of immersive virtual worlds, serious gaming, performance assessment, staff training, and mobile innovations offers efficiencies in education, training and collaboration.

In response to Seapower 21, one step to increase efficiency was to group the Naval Surface Warfare Centers (NSWC) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Centers (NUWC) into seven Geographic Zones.  ECS has a strong presence in all three of those seven Zones (Zone 2: National Capital Zone; Zone 3: Mid-Atlantic Zone; and Zone 4: Gulf Coast Zone).

ECS encourages you to visit our Website and get a sense of our commitment and capability.  We look forward to working together to keep our Navy the BEST in the World.

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Task Orders

No task orders have been awarded to date.

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Technical Instructions

There are no technical instructions to date.

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Team Members

Currently, there are no other team members.

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ECS Service Experience

Engineering & Computer Simulations has recent relevant experience in four (4) of the 21 functional areas of the SOW. The next section documents our past performance and depth and breadth of experience in the following SOW functional areas:

• 3.3    Modeling, Simulation, Stimulation, and Analysis Support
• 3.5    System Design Documentation and Technical Data Support
• 3.6    Software Engineering, Development, Programming, and Network Support
• 3.18  Training

Zone 2

Functional Area 3.3: Modeling, Simulation, Stimulation, and Analysis Support.

Under the Transit Emergency Response Application (TERA) project, ECS personnel have leveraged an ECS-developed, Government-owned simulation-based system, the Emergency Management Staff Training (ESMT), as well as virtual collaboration tools, models, and existing critical incident scenarios simulations to create a turnkey emergency management system for transit agency personnel from novice to expert levels. TERA training starts with basic knowledge about roles and responsibilities in a transit critical incident familiarization on-line tutorial, progresses through individual training exercises to, and culminates in quantifiable results for high-quality command-level team training and exercises. TERA training can be used for team preparedness exercises, new employee orientation and training, individual skills development, and cross training.

Functional Area 3.5: System Design Documentation and Technical Data Support.

Also for the TERA project, ECS has developed storyboards for each scenario as well as technical and training documentation to include Operator’s and User’s guides. The guides provide graphical quick start references and step-by-step instructions for more complex interactions such as editing scheduled events. The guides comprise all information needed for transit agency personnel to plan, conduct, and facilitate their own exercise events with no outside support.

Additionally, the documentation is developed to support each simulation scenario.  This technical documentation includes scripts, evaluation guidelines, assessed task lists, and a target capabilities matrix.

Functional Area 3.6: Software Engineering, Development, Programming, and Network Support.

As part of the software development effort, ECS conducts field tests of the TERA prototype module at volunteer transit agencies. The transit agencies are selected to cover the largest spectrum of users by selecting one small, one medium, and one large sized agency, as well as at least one bus and one rail agency. ECS conducts a hotwash after the test to elicit both written and verbal feedback from all participants, and conducts focus groups as necessary for more detail. Hotwash discussion and questionnaires focus on three areas: usability of the system, accuracy of the training, and effectiveness of the training.

Zone 3

Functional Area 3.3: Modeling, Simulation, Stimulation, and Analysis Support.

ECS is providing Modeling and Simulation expertise, products, and services to a number of Warfighter clients in this zone.  Under the NATO Boarders Ahoy contract, ECS created a Maritime Interdiction immersive virtual world for training tactics, techniques, and procedures for NATO personnel. Supporting JFCOM, ECS is contributing to the interoperability of Live, Virtual, and Constructive simulations as they support Joint operations. Additionally, ECS is creating, delivering and training personnel on Civil-Military interactions using immersive virtual environments.

Functional Area 3.5: System Design Documentation and Technical Data Support.

For each of the programs listed in Table A, Zone 3, ECS is responsible for technical data packages, to include operator and maintenance guides.  ECS also provides the required design specifications and reports of all program meetings.

Functional Area 3.6: Software Engineering, Development, Programming, and Network Support.

Leveraging previously created simulation platforms, ECS uses coding protocols to create scenarios for exercises, staff training, and immersive virtual environments for myriad training and collaboration needs.

Functional Area 3.18.1: Technical Training Support.

ECS is providing this support across multiple programs.  For the NATO Allied Command Transformation, ECS developed and is training NATO personnel on Maritime Interdiction tactics, techniques, and procedures.  Additionally, Mr. Spruill is leading exercise training in support of Joint Knowledge Development and Distribution Capability at Joint Forces Command. Warfighters learn the use of Joint Simulation capabilities and technologies.

Zone 4

Functional Area 3.3: Modeling, Simulation, Stimulation, and Analysis Support.

ECS supports multiple military service organizations with advanced learning technologies such as serious gaming, immersive virtual worlds, courseware (ADDIE).  Our simulations provide combat medics with sustainment training for Tactical Combat Casualty Care, or provide security representatives from the Department of Homeland Security with immersive training to practice techniques of protecting critical infrastructure.  We also support the Navy with how to effectively implement the use of IPTs for acquisition support.

Functional Area 3.5: System Design Documentation and Technical Data Support.

Per Government requirements, ECS delivers CDRLs on every program to include architecture, integrated master schedules, program management plans, etc.

Functional Area 3.6: Software Engineering, Development, Programming, and Network Support.

ECS has a staff of over 30 software engineers that support multiple programs, predominantly supporting Government organizations. We adhere to CMMI level 2 processes within the Software Development Life Cycle, and keep development artifacts for monitoring and re-use purposes (to support development efficiencies, program over program).

Functional Area 3.18.1: Technical Training Support.

The ECS team works closely with Navy program personnel to train them on the use of technologies as they try improve their internal IPT acquisition processes.

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Contact
Engineering & Computer Simulations
11825 High Tech Ave
Suite 250
Orlando, Florida 32817

Phone: (407) 823 9991
Fax: (407) 823 8299

Program Manager
Larry Kayne

Phone: (407) 823 9991 ext 303
email: lkayne@ecsorl.com

Contracts Manager
Lynn Woods

Phone: (407) 823 9991 ext 313
email: lynnwoods@ecsorl.com

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Quality Assurance

Engineering & Computer Simulations (ECS) is dedicated to providing its customers with services of the highest quality. Quality management principles are deeply engrained in the processes and operations at ECS. General quality assurance includes:

• Advance planning
• Detailed work plans
• Frequent progress reviews with customers

To ensure deliverables of the highest quality, ECS subjects all deliverables to the following:

• Assignment of the best personal with proven prior performance who possess the experience and skills required to meet program needs and successfully perform the tasks assigned
• Not less than two complete reviews for accuracy and thoroughness
• Prepared using computers with software tools such as spelling and grammar checkers
• All documentation formatting and other written parameters will be provided consistent with customer requirements
• These tools are utilized prior to the quality assurance audit by a qualified employee
• All electronic files are backed up to a disk or tape backup on a weekly basis

As a software development company ECS has additional quality assurance measures. They include:

• Coding standards
• Configuration management plan
• Automated unit testing using test templates from Junit
• System testing
• Code reviews

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Support

Program Manager
Larry Kayne

Phone: (407) 823 9991 ext 303
email: lkayne@ecsorl.com

Contracts Manager
Lynn Woods

Phone: (407) 823 9991 ext 313
email: lynnwoods@ecsorl.com

Business Development
Joe O’Connell

Phone: (407) 823 9991 ext 304
email: joconnell@ecsorl.com

FEMA

Over the past decade, FEMA’s workforce has grown to thousands of distributed Permanent Full-Time (PFT) employees, Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE) reservists, and Cadre On-response Employees (CORE). Because of the volume of employees and dynamic nature of their jobs helping to protect our nation from natural disasters or terrorist activity, it has been an organizational challenge to develop a standardized experiential training program to certify and build the experience base of their employees to perform at the highest levels. To help solve this training gap, FEMA stood up a certification program called the FEMA Qualification System (FQS) to train and certify all individuals performing emergency management operations. As part of the certification program, ECS and the Emergency Management Staff Trainer (EMST) was selected to be used  as an experiential assessment whereby personnel are placed in realistic, simulated situations online, taught expert decision making strategies, and then evaluated based on their performance in the system. Learning effectiveness experiments were conducted to test and measure user’s critical thinking and reasoning skills during the simulated events to validate performance outcomes.

The Virtual Medical Simulation Training Center (VMSTC) is contained within US Nexus, a 3D, immersive, avatar-based Virtual World platform developed through cooperation from multiple government agencies to improve and augment their existing instructional technologies and capabilities. This collaboration allows individuals and groups to meet online for a variety of class activities, including lectures, discussions, case studies, projects, papers, exams, study groups and labs. These 3D Communities supplement traditional training methods by providing contextual 3D environments where Warfighters can work together to practice and understand the concepts that are being taught.

The VMSTC provides an instructorless, “adaptive learning” capability that delivers tailored learning content to each student based on learning styles, student motivation, and skill levels. After logging into the VMSTC, students proceed into a registration area of a virtual school that houses classrooms, an auditorium, a lane training area, and courtyard for informal learning experiences. The student registers at a VMSTC by taking a learning style and skills assessment that determines the most suitable learning content, such as didactic, video, or interactive gaming content. As a student progresses through content, skills assessments determine whether or not they can continue to progress through the levels of the curriculum. Additionally, the assessment determines whether or not the content tailored to meet the student’s needs should be adapted in response to their performance. This “tailoring” continues during the students’ progression through the content, which can occur 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and at their own pace. The students also have access to other students that are also in world at the VMSTC for informal learning opportunities and collaboration.

The US Nexus is a Virtual World platform being developed through cooperation from different government agencies to improve and augment their existing instructional technologies and capabilities. Virtual Worlds consist of 3D environments where students, experts, educators, and leaders can interact through representations of themselves called avatars.  Each customizable avatar is part of a learner-focused 3D social network where individuals interact with others through different types of virtual worlds, virtual classrooms, social networks, and communities of practice. This interconnected system incorporates a comprehensive knowledge network and numerous tools to help capture, tag and store knowledge content and other information from a variety of sources. The collaborative technologies within the Nexus Platform allow public and private communication between individuals and groups to give user’s access to a blended curriculum.  The curriculum uses virtual, avatar-based environments to provide both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities that employ various types of content that augment traditional methods of training.

The Nexus Virtual Worlds platform delivers collaborative 3D environments and applications that integrate with an organization’s existing technology infrastructure using common architectures, interfaces and specifications.  This transcends the traditional boundaries of proprietary systems by providing a comprehensive environment for integrating new technology, tools and information and enables Nexus to reach large numbers of people quickly, allow for the rapid tailoring of scenarios, and provides simulated experiences that transfer into critical thinking skills and high levels of performance.

The MMA consists of two games available for a student to play, both of which can be played individually or as a group initiated by an instructor. The Knowledge Challenge game presents students with a multiple choice question and possible answers based on the CLS and 68W curriculum. The Casualty Challenge game presents students with different scenarios that are based on the CLS curriculum. The scenarios present a 2-Dimensional casualty, some background information, and 3 possible interventions available to the student for treating the casualty. The Casualty Challenge game tests student comprehension of course materials by allowing them to select treatment interventions and forcing students to make choices from initial assessment of the casualty through filling out the Field Medical Card. Immediate feedback is provided to confirm correct actions and to notify a student when they have selected incorrect actions. Multiple correct decision paths are allowed since in real medical emergencies, there are often multiple treatments or interventions that result in acceptable care. Students are timed and scored based on performance when playing both games while an instructor can either post a Leaderboard to motivate a group to improve performance. The instructor may also run reports that provide them detailed analysis regarding students’ performance.

The MMA was developed as a platform independent web application and targets mobile platforms such as the iPod Touch, iPad, iPhone, and Android smart phones as well as desktop PCs. While the MMA capability allows students to continue to learn during downtime, it also easily lends itself as a sustainment training capability available outside of the classroom, making training accessible anywhere, anytime. Whether in the classroom, or prior to mission deployment, the MMA will help future soldiers to be better prepared for medical emergencies.

We realize that there are significant variables in resource demands during the life of a project, and it is our intent to ensure our clients have the resource flexibility, or sprint capacity, as their needs dictate. ECS maintains a capable and flexible staff of experienced engineers across the spectrum of engineering disciplines. Many of engineers have active security clearances and are able to meet our customers’ technical needs on-site or at our facility in Orlando, Florida.

Primary services include:

-          Software Engineering

-          Systems Design & Integration

-          Architectural Visualization

-          Instructional Design

-          Program Management Support

-          Content Development

The Computer Based Corpsmen Training System is an immersive, first person Medic trainer that presents learners with interactive 3D Serious Games for learning and practicing battlefield medicine. Commonly known as CBCTS, this system builds upon the US Army’s Tactical Combat Casualty Care Simulation, and its goal is to instruct Marine Corps and  Navy  Corpsman.

The CBCTS involves the creation of mission-driven scenarios to present learners with synthetic “casualties” generated from realistic visual, behavioral, and physiological models. Medics are expected to keep the injured warfighter alive and get them evacuated safely out of harms way. The corpsman trainee takes on the first person view of a corpsman attached to a Marine squad in Afghanistan. During the mission teammates are wounded and the corpsman must balance triage, treatment, and safety to successfully keep his people alive and prepare them for evacuation. The CBCTS implements skill building exercises that involve triage, treatment planning, safety, evacuation information, and trauma management. At the same time, the CBCTS requires an interaction with other members of your team so as to successfully complete each mission. Within each mission, every casualty can survive with the correct treatment applied within the critical period of time. If the player fails to assess injuries correctly or spends too much time treating one casualty, others casualties may die.

After each scenario, learners are presented with an After Action Review that analyzes and evaluates their decision-making skills. The AAR evaluates every critical measure of treatment on a casualty and provides an explanation of a learner’s performance and an assessment of that performance.  In this way, constructive and monitored progress can be measured.

The CBCTS can be implemented into a program of instruction in many different ways. Its Serious Gaming vignettes can be used to supplement live instruction, it can be blended with other instructional systems to provide synchronous or asynchronous learning opportunities, or can be used as the cornerstone of a stand-alone, online capability. In all cases, the CBCTS will help increase learner engagement, improve training efficiency and create an unparalleled return on investment for all government customers.