MIVS: THE MOVIE

Multimedia is fast becoming the most efficient and effective training tool for a variety of purposes. Due to the availability of technologies that can combine visual aids with hands-on manipulation of and enhanced familiarity with instrumentation, multimedia offers a relatively simple and completely portable tool for training. During a Modular Integrated Video System (MIVS) Workshop at a recent IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) meeting, the problems associated with on-site training for MIVS operators/inspectors were discussed, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) decided to incorporate multimedia technology in the training tools available to inspectors. With financial support from the U.S. Program Office for Technical Assistance to IAEA Safeguards (POTAS), Aquila Technologies Group, Inc. (ATG) is focusing its technological capabilities and safeguards expertise on developing multimedia training tools to produce solutions for MIVS training and problem resolution. The MIVS InterActive Training program was designed to improve the performance of IAEA inspectors in the field. Specifically, it aims to familiarize inspectors with the unit itself and to provide them with the necessary skills for correcting erroneous field diagnosis. To accomplish this, ATG made a multimedia training program that incorporates video recorded by ATG along with IAEA—supplied text and practical experiences from IAEA inspectors. This type of program is technologically mature and has proven its effectiveness with professionals as well as end-users. The two most recognized programs at the time of evaluation were Aimtech's IconAuthor and Macromedia's Authorware. IconAuthor was chosen over Authorware because the programming team was experienced with its interface and because it allowed much more extensive and varied programming possibilities. IconAuthor can be used to create a wider variety of programs and is thus more suited toward easy expansion and end-user enhancement (i.e., the customer can more easily customize IconAuthor titles than Authorw are's).