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Troubleshooting for Educators

Audience

Educators running a live DeVILSona class session who encounter a problem and need a quick solution.

This page provides a simple "If X happens, do Y" guide for the most common classroom issues. Technical administrators should consult the Admin-Guide-Logging-&-Incident-Response for deeper diagnostic information.

Problem 1: The Headset Won't Connect to Wi-Fi

Symptoms: Wi-Fi icon shows a disconnected symbol or an exclamation mark. The DeVILSona app fails to log in.

Resolution Steps (try in order)

  1. Double check the network name: Go to Settings → Wi-Fi inside the headset and confirm you're connecting to the correct classroom Wi-Fi network. On many university campuses there are multiple SSIDs (e.g., ASU-Guest, ASU-Secure, eduroam). The headset must be on a network that allows WebSocket connections and outbound HTTPS (not all campus guest networks do this).

  2. Forget and reconnect: In Settings → Wi-Fi, select the current network and tap "Forget", then reconnect and re-enter the password.

  3. Restart the headset's network stack: Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, toggle Wi-Fi off, wait 5 seconds, then toggle it back on.

  4. Restart the headset: Hold the power button and select Restart (not Power Off). After restarting, try Wi-Fi again.

  5. Check if other headsets can connect: If only one headset has issues while others connect fine, the problem is likely that specific headset. Try restarting it again or contact IT.

  6. Network may block required traffic: If no headsets can connect and the network name is correct, the classroom network may be blocking the ports DeVILSona needs (port 443 for HTTPS, and WebSocket upgrade). Contact your IT department with this information. See Admin-Guide-Network-Configuration for exact whitelisting requirements.

Problem 2: The AI Character Is Not Responding ("The AI Is Ignoring Me")

Symptoms: The student speaks but the AI character does not respond, appears frozen, or only responds intermittently.

Resolution Steps (try in order)

  1. Check the microphone: Ensure the student is speaking clearly into the headset. The microphone is built into the front of the Meta Quest headset. Move closer to the student and listen—can you hear them speaking? If the student is speaking very quietly, ask them to project their voice more.

  2. Check the internet connection: The AI requires a live internet connection to process speech. Return to the home screen (press the Meta button), check the Wi-Fi indicator. If disconnected, reconnect per Problem 1 above.

  3. Ask if the AI has been responding at all: If the AI worked for the first minute and then stopped, the issue may be a streaming interruption. In this case, the fastest fix is to exit the app and relaunch it (see Problem 4 below).

  4. Verify cloud infrastructure is running: Go back to the DeVILStarter laptop. Is the status indicator showing green/running? If it shows an error or the infrastructure has stopped, restart it using the "Start Infrastructure" button and allow 2–5 minutes for it to come back up. The AI cannot function without the backend being online.

  5. OpenAI service disruption: Very rarely, OpenAI itself may have a service outage. Check https://status.openai.com to confirm if there are any active incidents. If OpenAI is down, the AI component of DeVILSona will not function until service is restored.

Problem 3: DeVILStarter Fails to Launch or Shows an Error

Symptoms: The DeVILStarter application opens but shows an error message, or clicking "Start Infrastructure" does not result in the status turning green after 5+ minutes.

Resolution Steps (try in order)

  1. Check internet connectivity on the laptop: Open a browser and navigate to https://aws.amazon.com. If the page doesn't load, the laptop doesn't have internet access. Reconnect to the correct network.

  2. Check the log output panel: DeVILStarter shows detailed logs. Look for any red error lines. Common errors include:

  3. "credentials not found" → The AWS credentials stored in DeVILStarter are missing or expired. Contact a technical administrator—they will need to re-enter the AWS access keys.
  4. "timeout" or "connection refused" → Network issue. Check internet connectivity.

  5. "already running" → A previous session's infrastructure may not have been torn down. Try clicking "Stop Infrastructure" first, wait until it completes, then try "Start Infrastructure" again.

  6. Restart DeVILStarter: Fully close the application (from the taskbar, right-click → Quit) and reopen it. Sometimes the application state becomes corrupted after an unexpected closure.

  7. Restart the laptop: As a last resort, fully restart the Windows machine running DeVILStarter and try again.

  8. Escalate to technical administrator: If none of the above resolves the issue, contact the technical administrator on file for this course. They have access to the AWS Console directly and can verify whether the infrastructure is running independently of DeVILStarter.

Problem 4: Restarting a Stuck Session

Symptoms: The app is frozen (the 3D character is not animating, the UI doesn't respond), or the student is stuck in a loading screen that doesn't progress past 30 seconds.

Resolution Steps

  1. Exit to the home screen first: Press the Meta button (the circular Meta logo button on the right controller). This brings up the home overlay. From here, you can navigate back to the App Library.

  2. Force-quit the app: In the home overlay, find the DeVILSona app in the taskbar. Long-press on it and select "Quit". Alternatively, navigate to App Library, find the app, hold the controller trigger over it, and select "Close".

  3. Wait 10 seconds: Give the headset a moment after force-quitting.

  4. Relaunch from App Library: Open the App Library and relaunch DeVILSona normally.

  5. Have the student log in again: Their progress is saved to AWS. When they enter their ASUID and Session ID again, their previous progress should be loaded automatically.

  6. If the app crashes immediately upon launch: The issue may be deeper—try a full headset restart (hold power button → Restart). If crashes persist after a headset restart, the app may need to be reinstalled by a technical administrator.

Problem 5: The Student's Progress Is Lost (Saved Data Not Loading)

Symptoms: A student who has used DeVILSona previously logs in but sees no saved progress.

Resolution Steps

  1. Verify the correct ASUID and Session ID: Students must enter the exact same ASUID and Session ID they used previously. A single digit difference creates a different save slot. Ask the student to double-check—typos are the most common cause.

  2. Verify the cloud infrastructure is running: Save data is stored on AWS. If DeVILStarter is not running (or the infrastructure was not started today), the app cannot retrieve the saved data. Start the infrastructure and have the student retry.

  3. Session ID confusion: Remind the student that the Session ID is a 4-digit code (e.g., 0001). If they're trying 1 instead of 0001, it won't match.

  4. Contact technical administrator: If the student is certain they have the right credentials and the infrastructure is running, a technical administrator can check the DynamoDB database directly to locate the student's record and confirm whether the data exists.

General Tips for Common Classroom Situations

Situation Quick Resolution
Student feels dizzy mid-session Remove headset immediately. Have student sit, drink water, and rest. Do not retry VR that day.
Headset shows "Guardian Setup" screen Walk the student through the 3-step boundary drawing process—it takes about 30 seconds.
App prompts for a software update Decline the update during class (click "Later"). Apply updates after class when headsets are charging.
Multiple students want to use the same headset quickly Use Clorox Clean-Up Disinfectant Wipes for facial interface cleaning between students. Skip drying time—simply use a fresh wipe on the face gasket for each student. Reset session by pressing Meta button and logging out.
Student can't hear the AI's voice The AI audio plays through the integrated speakers on the sides of the headset. Increase volume with the volume buttons on the right side of the headset.
Login screen keyboard is hard to use Encourage the student to take their time. Controller precision improves with practice. Alternatively, help guide the student's hand by pointing at the correct key.

Escalation Contact

If you've tried the relevant steps above and the issue persists:

  1. Try the session with a different headset (if available) to determine if the problem is device-specific or platform-wide.
  2. Document what happened: Note the exact error message or behavior, which headset was in use, and what steps you already tried.
  3. Contact the Technical Administrator for this deployment. They will have access to logs, the AWS Console, and the ability to re-deploy the application if necessary.

For deeper technical diagnostics, see the Technical Administrator Guide.