Audio Visual Case Study

U.S. Army TRADOC Classroom XXI (CRXXI) Modernization Program

Project Summary

TRADOC develops the U.S. Army's soldiers and civilian leaders and designs, develops and integrates capabilities, concepts and doctrine in order to build a campaign-capable, expeditionary Army in support of joint warfighting capability through Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN).

The intent behind the Classroom XXI Modernization Program is to transform current classrooms from an instructor-centered environment to a student-centered multimedia environment with worldwide access to approved training material. In order to accomplish this, a technical modernization and upgrade of systems was necessary.

AVS was selected by TRADOC to help create the proper training environment for the CRXXI program.  Working with TRADOC, AVS created several types of standard audiovisual classroom systems of varying complexity to meet the functional requirements and needs of the CRXXI modernization program at locations across the country.  The goal of standardizing systems was to respond quickly to requests for installation of systems, to deploy the systems quickly, and to create efficiencies in maintenance and service of the systems.  The standard systems include state-of-the-art technology to provide the most advanced briefing and display capabilities that will serve the customer for years to come.  The program is also designed to allow TRADOC to order systems in any quantity to fit the needs of each installation.  This allows the flexibility of ordering various numbers and types of systems, and have the systems in stalled when mission requirements arise and budgets allow.

There are two types of standard systems: the Basic Instructor Presentation System and the Enhanced Instructor Presentation System.  There are variations and options for each system based on the customers need.  The Basic system is intended to support a small classroom environment and the Enhanced system is intended to support a variety of larger classroom environments.  Since late 2008, AVS has completed the installation of more than 220 of these systems across the country.  This includes classroom installations at Army installations at Ft. Lee in Virginia; Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas; Ft. Sill in Oklahoma; Ft. Bliss in Texas; Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri; Redstone Arsenal and Ft. Rucker in Alabama.  AVS has installed various types and levels of systems in these installations except for the very highest level of Enhanced Presentations Systems, which includes a complete virtual reality simulation environment.

Basic Systems

The simplest of the standard systems consists of a dual screen front projection display system allowing for computer presentation from a single digital workstation and DVD/VCR playback.   Based on the size of the classroom and what will fit into that space, the systems that are incorporated use a combination of flat panel displays and a front projection system.  Interactive whiteboards are used throughout the various classrooms, either as flat panel display overlays or self contained whiteboard projection systems.  A variety of content can be displayed from various sources such as the instructors’ workstation computer; auxiliary laptops; VCR/DVD players; and document cameras.  The instructors’ workstation also incorporates an interactive podium pen display system with a stylus and wide aspect ratio capability.

A multiple zone in-ceiling speaker system supports audio and voice reinforcement from sources or the wireless RF microphone or the wired desk-mounted instructor microphone.  An in-wall or desk touchpanel enables all control and switching for all audio and video sources.  The Basic systems are intended for smaller classroom groups (approximately 20 students).

Enhanced Systems

The Enhanced Instructor Presentation System includes all the functional capabilities of the Basic System, but then expands upon that by providing digital workstations to the students to allow for greater student-instructor interaction in a variety of ways.  There are varying levels of complexity in the Enhanced systems including factoring in building systems for larger auditorium style classrooms to creating high-level interactive simulation based environments in smaller to mid-sized classrooms. 

The larger classroom environment is intended for the instructor to access digital media, control presentations, and use traditional lecture methods for a large auditorium or lecture hall, for groups of 200 or more students.  Here the requirements are expanded to a system that consists of two front projection screen options: two large DLP projectors with either one large or two smaller motorized projection screens.  In the one screen option the projectors are horizontally blended together. 

The rest of the Enhanced systems again expand upon the Basic systems, but increased levels of capability are given to the instructors including the ability to use a classroom management system where the instructor can have increased control of student activity and training.  Here, the instructors can access, monitor, block, assist, and display any student’s computer from the instructor workstation area to his workstation computer, to a specific or all of the student computer monitors or any of the large displays in the room. 

The higher levels of Enhanced systems include capabilities such as: allowing instructors to communicate directly with individual or groups of students via computer connected headset microphones and earphones; and providing access to student computers that give them access to the military network the Internet and external media training sources, such as video on demand.  The top levels of the Enhanced systems are simulation based classrooms that require specialized hardware and software, including multiple monitors, higher processing speeds and more powerful video cards providing the capability to use high-speed rendering that is too graphic intensive for basic instruction.  These systems are designed and used to train students in a variety of scenarios that closely replicate the actual conditions that soldiers will participate in training or in-field environments.

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