Transcript The Army Family Support Center

The Army Family
Support Center
Building communities and
information for those left behind
Project Description
• The Army Family Support Center is for the families
who remain behind when a soldier deploys
• Some family members are not near a military base
and do not know about programs to support them
• It provides information families can use
• It provides an opportunity to build a community not
dependent on physical location by using a virtual
reality (VR) environment
• It is an experiment in social interaction and
information sharing and not endorsed by the U.S.
Army
Current Configuration
• Existing Information rooms
• Related sub-rooms
− Military Base Specific Information Rooms
− Subject Specific Information rooms
World Weather
Depression
Resources
Grief
As information resources develop
new information rooms appear addressing specific subjects
Technical
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Based in ActiveWorlds
Inexpensive compared to Second Life
World wide access and secure
Small bandwidth requirement (works over a modem)
Less processing power needed
Will run as a stand alone
Available to web users but can be password protected
Provides Dynamic Information
• Centralizes information
• Capstone multiple web sites
• Sets up community validation of information
Community
• Establishs an on-line community with no bounds on location
− A PC with access to the web anywhere in the world
− Free access to the virtual world
• Draw users with useful information
• Enables relationships
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Validate Site
Make Friends
Share Problems
Solve Issues
Get Advice
• Allows Services
− Counseling
− Assistance
− Direction
Summary
• The VR Based Army Family Support
Center:
− Uses web based content
− Establishes a community dynamic
− Reaches those who are not near military
facilities
− Enables formal and informal support
structures
− Is inexpensive to implement