Training & Technology >> Frequently Asked Questions
- Am I talking to a live person in the simulation?
- Do you use avatars in your simulations?
- How can I get a demo training system?
- Can I use your program on a Mac?
- How do I purchase one of your training systems?
- I saw a training system that will fit my company's needs perfectly. Why can't I purchase it?
- How many computers can I install the program on?
- What are your minimum system requirements? What version of Windows do I need?
- What should I do if I encounter a technical error?
- What resolution should I set my screen to?
- How do I arrange a brief for my company?
- My activation code does not work. What should I do?
- How can I access your training programs online?
- How are your training programs delivered?
- We would like to partner with your company on a grant. Who do we contact?
- Where can I find your available career opportunities?
- How do you evaluate the user's tone of voice?
- Are your systems custom-designed or available off-the-shelf?
- Can off-the-shelf systems be modified to fit customer needs?
- Do we own the system once we purchase it?
- Do you have annual license fee renewal schedule?
- What is the timeframe to develop a custom system?
- What are your current Government contract vehicles?
- What differentiates you from other competitors?
- Is your technology patented?
- What will happen if I state something not within the script?
- Why can't I say anything I want and talk to the simulated character free-form?
- Will the size of the software slow my computer down a lot? How big is the program?
- Can SIMmersion be used as part of a classroom presentation?
- Can other users collaborate or talk to each other through while playing simulations?
- Do you have conversation simulations that feature more than one character?
- What if I'm interested in a training system that will teach me about another country's culture? Can I also learn communication skills in another language?
- Can I use your training on my phone or tablet?
No, that's an actor, but we do aim for users to be so immersed in the simulated conversations that they feel they are talking to an actual person. Learn more about our characters.
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We use actual human actors to best capture the nuances of tone-of-voice and nonverbal body language that cannot be replicated by computer-generated avatars. We can use our conversation engine with avatars, however, if they best fit your training needs, for instance in an immersive 3-D environment. Contact us to learn more.
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You can try one of our online training systems by entering our web portal or you can contact us.
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Yes, but you need to have Windows installed on your machine, since our training software is Windows-based. You can find out more about Mac-Windows compatibility here. Please contact us if you are interested in us custom-building a Mac OS-based system for you.
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You can see some of our off-the-shelf commercial products here. Please contact us for more information.
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Many of our training systems have been built for private clients, and they have the rights to those systems. We can make another similar system to fit your specific training needs. Please contact us to see how we can benefit your organization.
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Our training systems are deliverable on DVD, over the web, or on thin-client applications. For each delivery method, we have several license options ranging from unlimited use to use on one computer.
Customs systems are also deliverable on android tablet computers and smart
phones. Learn more about purchasing and licensing or distribution.
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To install and run our systems on DVD, you need Internet Explorer 6 (or later), Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (or later), Windows XP Service Pack 2 (or later), Windows Vista, or Windows 7. You will need 2 – 4 GB of space available on your hard drive. The install should take 10 – 20 minutes.
To use our systems over the web, you need Flash Player 9 (or later) and Internet access. Online registration should take 5 minutes.
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Please contact our technical support and you will receive a prompt response.
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Please set your resolution to 1024 x 768 or greater for our software to work.
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Simply contact us with your information.
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Please check your Internet connection. Generally, you need an active Internet connection for your activation code to work. If you have a good Internet connection and the activation is not working, please contact us for assistance.
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Click here to Web Portal to our online systems.
You can try some of our sample traning systems for free without a login or
registering, or you can register for access to more of our training systems.
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Our training systems are delivered on DVD, on the web, or on thin-client applications,
on android tablet computers, or on android smart phones. Learn more about our distribution. We also give a training course for our Hands-on Investigative Interview Training System.
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Please contact our business development team, and we will link you with one of our proposal writers. You can view some of our other partners here.
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Click here for our employment opportunities.
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Although we recognize the need to practice the right way to say things, we currently cannot evaluate tone of voice. We do provide users with professional voice-over recordings of each of the things they can choose to say, so they can hear the proper tone of voice. Additionally, users are able to hear their own voice when they replay conversations. They can self-evaluate their tone of voice, or receive feedback from peers and instructors. SIMmersion is looking forward to being able to evaluate and to have characters react to tone of voice in the future.
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We do both. Most of our systems are custom-designed for clients, but we have several off-the-shelf systems in development or available for purchase. View our off-the-shelf systems here.
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Yes. Pricing and delivery time depend on the amount of customization. Please contact us for more information.
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Yes, if you contract us for a customized training system. Our contracting is flexible to fit your specific needs. Contact us for more information.
License renewals as well as charges are on a schedule best suited to your organization, ranging from monthly to two-year terms. Learn more about purchasing and licensing here.
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Our training systems vary in size and consequently so does our development time. We have developed systems with short conversations in as little as three months. Our largest system, the Hands-on Investigative Interview Training System (HIITS) took over a year to finish. We have a proven record of delivering outstanding products on time, with a staff that is easy to work with. See what people say about us on our testimonials page.
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We have several avenues for government contracting, including adding to a partner contract or taking advantage of SIMmersion's work through the Small Business Innovative Research Grants, where a sole source justification is not required. See more details on our contracting vehicles page.
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We provide the most realistic conversation simulations with the most lifelike characters. Our engaging training promotes hours of practice with a new experience each time the software is used. Learn more about The SIMmersion Difference here.
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Yes, we have three U.S. patents and one international patent for our non-branching conversation technology, called PeopleSim, and our proprietary software.
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If you state something close to what is in the script, the system's voice recognition will match up what you said to what is written. If you state something that is not at all in the script, the simulation character will either say that he or she does not understand you or ignore you. You will have another chance to say something to the character.
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Having a rich script with lots of options actually adds to the training by allowing users to practice the best things to say, learn from mistakes, and try new conversation strategies. Learn more about the Expert Script here. Although we believe in this method of training, we can build a system without prompts if that best fits your needs. Contact us to learn more.
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Actually, most computers handle our simulation software just fine. Our technology is meant to be played by anyone with a
device satisfying our minimum system requirements, at any time. Significantly older video cards or slow internet connections (if playing over the web) may affect performance. Also, the initial software install may take 10 -20 minutes, but generally, our simulation training can be a seamless part of any work day.
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Absolutely, in fact most of our clients use them as stand-alone systems and as part of a blended solution. For example, they may project a simulation for the whole class to play, or they may show a replay of part of a conversation to illustrate a point. SIMmersion simulations have been used as required coursework for several organizations' internal training.
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SIMmersion can track data or allow your organization to track your users' data, including scores for a high score board. We are able and willing to set up a chatting feature or other social media for your organization as part of a custom training system.
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Not currently, but we have the capability to have multiple characters on screen.
SIMmersion will work to create a custom system to meet any training need.
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Yes, SIMmersion has the capability to custom-design a training system in another language.
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Yes, At this time SIMmersion systems are compatible with android phones and tablets, and we are working on compatibility for more devices.
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