ASTi Announces SBIR Award for Military Phraseology Trainer

Advanced Simulation Technology inc. (ASTi), a supplier ofsimulation and training solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, announcedthe award of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I contractthrough the U.S. Air Force's technology acceleration initiative, AFWERX. Thiscontract award allows the Air Force's Defense Language Institute to evaluateASTi's Pilot Phraseology Trainer (Pilot PT) in their English Learning Centerlocated at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

ASTi developed the Pilot PT simulation-based learning aid topromote learning of strict air traffic control (ATC) terminology and proceduresusing standardized English language phraseology. Pilot PT's automatedcapabilities align with Air Force goals to conserve instructor time, promotestandardized training, improve pilot training and safety, increase trainingthroughput, and cut training costs.

Using Pilot PT, student pilots can independently perform ATCradio communications practice sessions to develop strong communications"muscle memory" prior to actual flight. Pilot PT provides ATC avatarsthat are enabled with advanced speech recognition and text-to-speechtechnologies to realistically interact with student pilots. The cloud-basedproduct allows students to log into any Internet-connected computer orsmartphone and rehearse missions anytime, anywhere, even outside the existingtraining schedule.

Pilot PT is borne from ASTi's flagship Simulated Environmentfor Realistic ATC (SERA) product. The Defense Language Institute, through aseparate contract with ASTi, recently purchased three SERA systems to supplysimulated ATC services to nine VR simulators in the English Learning Center.Combined, Pilot PT and SERA offer the Center a consistent, continuous set oftraining solutions to achieve its mission.