In order for a virtual environment to be effective as a training tool, it is not enough to concentrate on the fidelity of the renderings and the accuracy of the simulated behaviors. The environment should help trainees develop an understanding of the task and should provide guidance and assistance as needed. This paper describes a system for developing virtual environments in which pedagogical capabilities are incorporated into autonomous agents that interact with trainees and simulations of objects in the environment. These pedagogical agents can monitor trainee progress and provide guidance and assistance. This paper describes the architectural features of the environment and of the agents that accomplish the instructional objectives within the virtual environment. It also discusses how agent-based instruction is combined with other methods of delivering instruction.
The accurate measurement of the size of skin wounds and ulceration is important for comparing the efficiency of treatment modalities and for monitoring progress in the individual patient. Although various methods of differing sophistication are in use, many of the common simpler techniques lack accuracy and reliability. We describe a new technique of ulcer measurement which uses video image recording, capture and computer analysis. A method of correcting for limb convexity in a two-dimensional image is presented. The method has an overall accuracy of 1.82% and a clinical precision of 3.41%, both of which are significantly better than acetate tracings or photographic methods. The technique is simple and rapid, and once established it incurs minimal ongoing costs.
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