Invented by Kamath; Sucheta A., ExQ, LLC

Digital learning is changing fast, and helping kids build better thinking skills is more important than ever. A new patent application aims to make digital assessments smarter by using virtual peers, giving every user feedback that feels personal and true to real life. Let’s unpack what this patent is about, why it matters, and how it hopes to improve learning for everyone.

Background and Market Context

Today’s schools and learning apps face a big challenge: how do you help each person grow the skills they need to succeed, especially skills like planning, paying attention, and managing time? These are called “executive function” skills. They help us remember things, stay on task, make plans, and even help others. Many children and even adults struggle with these skills, which can make learning and everyday life much harder.

Traditional tests and training tools often use the same questions and activities for everyone, no matter what makes each learner unique. That can make assessments feel too generic, and the feedback doesn’t always help a person see where they need to improve. Most systems also don’t give much useful advice after an assessment, leaving learners on their own to figure out what to do next.

Digital learning platforms are in high demand, especially after recent world events pushed more schooling and training online. Schools, companies, and families are all looking for tools that give better, more personal feedback and help kids and adults learn the “soft” skills that matter, not just facts and numbers. There is also a growing need to measure these skills in ways that really match real-life situations, not just in quizzes or simple games.

This new patent tackles these issues head-on. It uses a set of virtual peers—computer characters built to act like real people—in digital scenarios. These virtual peers show different behaviors, both good and bad, and the user gives feedback on what they see. The system then gives the user a personal assessment based on their feedback and suggests ways to get better. This is a big step up from one-size-fits-all solutions. It can adapt to each user’s needs, preferences, and even their past history, making learning more engaging and much more useful.

Scientific Rationale and Prior Art

Let’s look at why this approach is different from what came before. In older digital learning tools, people often answer questions or play games that test memory, attention, or planning. The results are usually simple scores or a list of right and wrong answers. Some programs let users practice skills, but the activities are the same for every user and don’t always reflect what happens in the real world.

Even when digital platforms try to give feedback, it’s often basic. For instance, a student might be told, “You need to focus more” or “Try again.” There is rarely a real sense of context—why did the student make a certain choice? What can they learn from seeing what others might do in the same situation? And most importantly, how can they practice making better choices next time?

Some older systems do use “avatars” or simple computer players to make games more fun or to show what a typical user might do. But these avatars usually act the same way for everyone. They rarely show a range of real-world behaviors, and they don’t adjust based on what the real user is like.

This patent builds on that by creating virtual peers whose actions are chosen based on what’s known about the actual user. For example, if a learner tends to be forgetful or easily distracted, the virtual peers might show similar challenges or strengths. When the user watches these virtual peers and gives feedback (“Was this a good way to act?” “Would this help the group?”), the system learns about the user’s thinking, self-awareness, and ability to judge behaviors. It then uses this information to give much more personal feedback and suggest next steps.

Many studies show that learning is stronger when it feels real and when people can reflect on both their own actions and the actions of others. Watching peers, giving feedback, and practicing decisions in safe, digital scenarios helps build real skills that transfer to school, work, and life. This patent takes that science and puts it to work in a digital system that can scale to many users but still feel personal to each one.

Invention Description and Key Innovations

At the heart of this patent is a method for using virtual peers in digital assessments. Here’s how it works, explained in simple words:

1. The system shows the user a virtual scenario. This might be a classroom scene, a teamwork challenge, or another real-life setting. The scenario is presented on a screen, and multiple virtual peers (computer-generated characters) are involved.

2. Each virtual peer acts a certain way. Some show good behaviors (like answering politely, planning ahead, or helping others), while some may make mistakes (like interrupting, forgetting tasks, or reacting badly to feedback). The actions of each peer are chosen based on what the system knows about the real user—maybe from their history, profile, or earlier responses.

3. The user observes and gives feedback. For each virtual peer, the user is asked to say whether the behavior is correct or not, helpful or not, or otherwise judge what they see. This might be as simple as giving a thumbs up or down, picking from a list, or writing a short comment.

4. The system collects the user’s feedback and analyzes it. It checks how well the user can spot good and bad behaviors, how their opinions match what experts would say, and how consistent they are over time. It also compares their answers to what is known about their own strengths and weaknesses.

5. The user receives a detailed, personal assessment. Instead of just a score, the system gives feedback on the user’s ability to recognize important behaviors, make good judgments, and reflect on their choices. It tells the user where they are strong, where they can improve, and even how their thinking compares to others.

6. The system delivers follow-up learning content. Based on what the user got right or wrong, the system can show extra tips, success playbooks, or even another scenario for practice. These follow-ups can include videos, interactive guides, or new challenges tailored to the user’s needs.

7. The process repeats for new scenarios and virtual peers. The system can pick new combinations of virtual peers, new behaviors, and new situations. This keeps learning fresh and lets users practice in many different ways. The system can even randomize which virtual peers appear, so no two users get exactly the same experience.

What makes this invention stand out?

– Customization: Virtual peers are not just generic. They are chosen or designed based on what is known about the user. This could be their past performance, their strengths and weaknesses, or even their personal goals.

– Behavioral focus: Instead of just testing facts or simple skills, the system looks at how users understand and judge real behaviors. This is much closer to what people face in everyday life.

– Active reflection and feedback: Users aren’t just passive—they have to think, reflect, and explain their choices. This helps build self-awareness, which is a key part of executive function.

– Continuous improvement: After each assessment, the system gives new advice, new scenarios, or new challenges. Learning is ongoing and always matched to where the user is right now.

– Scalable and flexible: Because the system is digital, it can be used by many people at once, but each person gets a unique learning path. It works on different devices and can be updated with new scenarios and virtual peers as needed.

The patent also covers the technical side: how the system stores user data, how it picks and displays virtual peers, how it tracks performance over time, and how it keeps everything secure and private. The process is designed to work both as a web app and on different types of computers, so schools and companies can use it widely.

One more smart feature is the “success playbook.” As users go through the training, the system builds up a collection of tips, strategies, and reminders based on what each person needs. This playbook becomes a personal guide that users can look back on, helping them use what they’ve learned in real life.

Coaching is also built in. After each scenario, the system can act like a digital coach, giving encouragement, suggesting next steps, and helping users set new goals. Over time, the system learns more about each user and can give even better advice.

Overall, this invention moves digital assessment away from generic, one-size-fits-all quizzes and toward a much more personal, real-world approach. It helps users not just learn facts but practice and reflect on the skills that matter most: how to plan, adapt, pay attention, work with others, and keep growing.

Conclusion

This patent application marks a big step forward in digital learning and assessment. By using virtual peers that are tailored to each user, the system gives feedback that is more personal, more real, and much more helpful. It helps users see their own strengths and weaknesses, learn from real-world scenarios, and build the executive function skills they need for success in school, work, and life. As digital learning keeps growing, tools like this will be vital for making sure everyone has the chance to reach their full potential.

Click here https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/ and search 20250335857.