A key vertical for companies and institutions is online and immersive learning. To accommodate these emerging technologies, headless learning management systems (headless LMS) separate from backend services. These tools also provide cloud-based platforms with certified security grades, reliability, and practicality.
Government organisations and military staff leverage virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) solutions rely on unrivalled security and functionality. A new wave of immersive technologies and platforms are facilitating this as these top-tier organisations prepare their digital transformations.
XR Today spoke with Rob Porter, Head of Marketing and Business Development, CoSo Cloud LLC, to discuss the new headless software solution.
He explores how The Unconventional and CoSo Cloud empower Department of Defense (DoD) professionals with the soft skills needed for daily operations.
CoSo Cloud is a cutting-edge headless, military-grade learning management system (LMS) used by major institutions and organisations such as the United States Department of Defense (US DoD), Google, Apple, Raytheon, and many others.
XR Today: Can you tell us about your work with CoSo Cloud and what it seeks to accomplish?
Rob Porter: The CoSo Cloud is about completing learning solutions within enterprise and government agencies. We have often seen out-of-the-box (OotB) virtual headless LMS fail to meet the organisation’s unique goals.
Government agencies may have a specific focus on such solutions, which may not be the right method for them. What we aim to do is leverage OotB tools to enhance both learners and management experience to better align organisations with their goals. This provides enhanced security, better integration workflows, more engaging virtual experiences, and others to make training and learning more valuable.
XR Today: Regarding online training, what are the benefits of deploying such tools for learners?
Rob Porter: The benefits we see are quicker times to market, quicker turnaround times, and more rapid information support. These solutions are also more cost-effective as people move around the country and world.
It also enables more flexibility in the ever-changing goals within programmes. There may be some initial goals, outside influences, events, and specific mandates influencing these programmes. By doing these virtually, we can quickly adjust and adapt that training, keeping us on track with the organisation’s overall goals.
XR Today: Was the COVID-19 pandemic a strong motivating force to develop the solution?
Rob Porter: Our programming was in place prior to COVID-19. However, I think COVID taught us to operate at a very large and global scale and assess what does and does not work for us.
We saw a lot of knee-jerk reactions from different industries to get everyone into virtual environments and assess how to do so. In some cases, we saw great successes, and in others, more great learning opportunities.
To improve these things, people really need to understand that, in virtual learning environments, we’re attempting to take what is tangible and put them into intangible environments. That is where VR comes into play.
VR has helped us to bridge that gap quite a bit and determine how to administer such goals and learner journeys. We have to determine how to get there and what to do afterwards. These are the areas we can enhance with learning to help improve learner retention.
XR Today: Which verticals do you work with outside the DoD?
Rob Porter: There’s an opportunity to leverage aspects of VR, 360-degree video, and cloud streaming solutions in VR headsets. This gives them the opportunity to look around and see what’s happening with greater situational awareness.
We also have military and government employees travelling worldwide and interacting with different cultures. I think that cultural awareness is also something that helps us integrate and communicate better with others.
Different visual and auditory cues are associated with cultures we can replicate in virtual experiences. Additionally, we can coach learners remotely with cameras to assist them.
Currently, some of the programmes we’re looking at are positioned to facilitate language training via mentor portals. Instructors guide these programmes, and students can learn by seeing, hearing, and soliciting country and regional perspectives. At the end of the day, this enhances learning experiences and adds tremendous value.
XR Today: Can you explain your partnership with NVIDIA and Adobe? How are these metaverse firms helping your solution and push the envelope with immersive learning?
Rob Porter: Honestly, we see huge advancements in corporate and government-level education in these areas. Looking at several categories, we can focus on simulation and training. We can use VR to create simulated environments [as] a safe and cost effective way for employees to learn new skills and practice real-life situations.
We also see other areas such as onboarding, orientation, and others, working with global efforts to supply learners with more immersive, interactive onboarding experiences.
This helps them engage and connect more to organisations, and we certainly see virtual conferencing and collaboration facilitate brainstorming and create think tank approaches.
Additionally, its particularly useful for remote teams and global organisations for soft skills training. This builds key talents for employees in communication, leadership, empathy, and other qualities. Learners can also practice these skills in safe, controlled environments using our headless LMS platform.
One of the biggest things I’m seeing is data visualisation and analytics. There are different data points available to us now that we did not have before compared to working face-to-face in the classroom.
Honestly, the time it takes for individuals to write down details you have noticed, you may have missed another critical detail. Behaviours such as microexpressions change instantaneously, but immersive and interactive data visualisations allow employers and learners to explore more complex datasets. This really gives a deeper insight into what the experience is all about.
XR Today: Anything else that you’d like to add?
Rob Porter: Generally, there is a huge opportunity to expand. VR training is regularly used in the military and DoD. But moving further, it continues to advance and artificial intelligence (AI) enhances that experience 100-fold.
We see in immersive battlefield simulations, vehicle and equipment training, and team coordination. With The Unconventional, we’re really focused on language and cultural training. People can use VR to simulate different language and cultural scenarios, allowing soldiers and civilians to practice skills and improve before deployments.
I think VR gets us so much closer to that real-life experience and better prepares people for true deployment.
