Natural Language Dialogue group

CHAOS, the Combat Hunter Action and Observation Simulation, is an immer-
sive simulation training environment which gives small military units the expe-
rience of interacting with local Afghan villagers during a patrol. It is a physical
build-out of a housing compound in a mock Afghan village, with several life-
size reactive and interactive animated Pashto-speaking virtual characters. The
exercise requires an infantry squad to locate and interview a character named
Omar, communicating through a live human interpreter and attending to proper
protocol regarding Omar's family. Character animation and behavior is based
on extensive interviews with Afghan experts to provide a realistic setting of
the intended locale. The system combines virtual human technology, story engi-
neering, and physical set building to provide a compelling training environment
that can handle a full squad, requiring trainees to integrate tasks such as working
with an interpreter, dealing with non-English speakers from another culture, and
assessing information and disposition to make decisions in a mission context.