The focus of the VECTOR project  is to provide a new technology for training in cultural familiarization through the application of highly experiential, scenario-based training in virtual environments that can be used to develop specific skills for interacting with members of a culture of interest. 

VECTOR is a product of the Small Business Innovative Research program for the Army Research Institute (ARI).  In Phase I we identified a candidate culture and specific Military Occupational Specialties, which have served as design targets in Phase II.  The Kurdish sub-culture of West Asian Arabs was selected as the specific culture.  The specific Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs) include both Military Police and Military Intelligence.  In Phase III, we developed content development tools to facilitate the rapid authoring and modification of VECTOR scenario content.

We are presently involved in full-scale implementation of the VECTOR system.  We are leveraging the commercially available Jupiter game engine to develop the virtual environment.  Since cultural behaviors are most easily demonstrated in conversational skills, VECTOR includes voice recognition technology as an optional input mechanism.  We have been supported on this effort by Sytex Inc. who has provided retired Army personnel with backgrounds in both special operations and the Arab culture to serve as subject matter experts.

We are currently marketing VECTOR to commercial organizations, as well as other government agencies, that routinely require their employees to spend time abroad.