Development and assessment of a tractor driving simulator with immersive virtual reality for training to avoid occupational hazards

Tractor overturns are the leading cause of fatalities in the agricultural sector. When drivers misuse the foldable roll over protective structure (ROPS) in tractors, it becomes highly inefficient as a rollover protection system. To solve this problem, the purpose of the present paper is to detail the development and assessment of a tractor driving simulator with immersive virtual reality for training to minimize this risk. In the agricultural sector, tractor driving simulators make it possible to train drivers in risk situations that are not feasible in the real field due to the high risk of roll over. The simulator includes a motion platform for this particular application. The findings of this study suggest that participants with safety knowledge make fewer errors in deploying the ROPS. To reduce the consequences of tractor accidents in the agricultural sector, the promotion of training courses is essential to avoid the misuse of the ROPS. On the contrary, the perception of risk and safety increased after the tractor driving simulator experience for all of the participants but increased significantly more so for non-frequent users of tractors. All of the groups of participants reported that the use of the tractor driving simulator was a positive experience because it can help them to drive more safely, and they feel that they need more training programmes in occupational safety.The authors would like to thank Instituto de Seguridad y Salud Laboral de la Región de Murcia for financing the project of “New Safety Devices in Machinery.” The authors would also like to thank all of the participants for their cooperation in this study

UX Evaluation of a Tractor Cabin Digital Twin Using Mixed Reality

Understanding user experience (UX) is essential to design engaging and attractive products, so nowadays has emerged an increasingly interest in user- centred design approach; in this perspective, digital technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) could help designers and engineers to create a digital prototype through which the user feedback can be considered during the product design stage. This research aims at creating an interactive Digital Twin (DT) using MR to enable a tractor driving simulation and involve real users to carry out an early UX evaluation, with the scope to validate the design of the control dashboard through a transdisciplinary approach. MR combines virtual simulation with real physical hardware devices which the user can interact with and have control through both visual and tactile feedback. The result is a MR simulator that combines virtual contents and physical controls, capable of reproducing a plowing activity close to reality. The principles of UX design was applied to this research for a continuous and dynamic UX evaluation during the project development

Inclusion VR: a New Virtual Reality Device for Inclusive Experiences

There are many public and private spaces and environments where design characteristics are a severe impediment to accessibility for people with reduced mobility. Traditional measurements of accessibility are flawed, as they fail to account for people’s mobility and physical differences. Structural barriers and individual mobility limitations that affect travel time, effort, and even successful completion are ignored. An accessibility measurement framework including measures of absolute, gross, closest assignment, single and multiple activity, probabilistic choice, and relative access has been proposed to address this problem [1]. Unfortunately, in most cases, people with reduced mobility are forced to renounce access to public and private spaces. Although the best solution would obviously be to make these places universally accessible, there are some sites where it is very difficult to make architectural changes without altering their identity. Cultural heritage sites are a good example of places where architectural changes are not feasible. This is especially problematic in the case of monuments and archaeological sites, as many of them are not prepared to receive these types of visitors. The European Union considers cultural heritage as a means of achieving social integration [2]. Among its current challenges, the EU is promoting multidisciplinary initiatives that combine expertise in cultural heritage with the resources provided by technology. From another perspective, the use of virtual reality to evaluate and train inexperienced wheelchair users has been proposed [3]. People with motor disabilities can benefit from these types of actions. In situations where the value of a site must be preserved, and the needs of people with limited mobility must be taken into account, building a digital twin of the space can be a way to experience/visit the site through virtual reality

The use of virtual reality in employee training in occupational health and safety: a literature review

Článek vznikl za podpory Studentské grantové soutěže Západočeské univerzity v Plzni v rámci projektu „Výzkum vybraných oblastí managementu a marketingu organizací v kontextu demografických a technologických změn“ SGS-2020-015.One of the top priorities of any company is to solve problems related to occupational safety. Significant investments are made to reduce work-related risks, including training employees in safety procedures. Today, technological advances and the widespread adoption of visual technology offer an exciting opportunity to improve the quality of workplace safety training. One technology that is gaining significant acceptance in the safety field, and which can offer a number of advantages over traditional training programs, is virtual reality. Virtual reality provides companies with the ability to train employees on safety procedures and risk situations in a safe and controlled environment, which could reduce costs and also enhance the effectiveness of training. The rapid evolution of technology has caused newer, cheaper and more universal virtual reality goggles to create new opportunities for the use of this technology in many industries, from construction to healthcare, mining to chemical industries. This paper analyses the current published academic literature reporting on the use of virtual reality in occupational safety and attempts to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages that arise from the use of this technology in this particular area of employee training. It also identifies and analyses the areas in which the use of virtual reality for occupational safety and health is most frequently investigated

Automatización de estructuras de protección abatibles en tractores agrícolas y desarrollo de simulador con realidad virtual inmersiva para formación e investigación de accidentes

[SPA] Esta tesis doctoral se presenta bajo la modalidad de compendio de publicaciones. El vuelco de tractores es la principal causa de muerte en la agricultura. En USA, cerca del 50% de estas muertes provienen de vuelcos (HOSTA, 2004). En Australia, entre 2004–2007 se produjeron 65 accidentes, de los que 17 fueron mortales (26%) por vuelco (SWA, 2011). Una encuesta de la Comisión Europea revela que en el 40% de los casos, las lesiones y muertes graves durante los vuelcos de tractor ocurrieron cuando la ROPS no iba desplegada (Hoy, 2009). En España, entre 2004-2008, el vuelco representa el 70% de las muertes (Arana et al., 2010). En Murcia, entre 2005-2012 se produjeron 44 vuelcos de tractor, 29 mortales; en el 77% de los accidentes el tractor llevaba arco de seguridad (ROPS) homologado, pero abatida con el conductor desprotegido (Martín Górriz et al., 2012). Los objetivos de esta tesis se resumen en: Diseñar, calcular, prototipar y ensayar un dispositivo de accionamiento automático de estructuras de protección abatibles en tractores agrícolas y desarrollar un simulador de conducción con realidad virtual inmersiva para el entrenamiento de tractoristas. Los resultados alcanzados en la tesis se concretan en: Patente-ES2452489. Sistema de protección antivuelco para vehículos agrícolas. Propuesta de diseño y construcción de una estructura de protección desplegable automáticamente. El prototipo, denominado HydraROPS, presenta dos niveles para la elevación del arco de seguridad plegable. En el primer nivel, el conductor decide cambiar la posición del arco de seguridad utilizando el dispositivo. En el segundo nivel, la activación se realiza sin su intervención. En caso de vuelco, se envía un mensaje con la ubicación GPS a emergencias. La ROPS se activa con la hidráulica del tractor. Para aumentar la velocidad de despliegue se incluyó un acumulador de presión. Desarrollo de un sistema hidráulico automático para el despliegue del arco de seguridad en tractores agrícolas Los vuelcos del tractor están relacionados con sus dimensiones, centro de gravedad, velocidad, radio de giro y terreno. La estabilidad se puede clasificar en estática y dinámica. Para automatizar el control de la ROPS se emplea primero un índice de estabilidad basado en la estática. Se utilizó el modelo propuesto por Liu y Ayers (1998): índice de estabilidad calculado combinando el ángulo lateral y frontal (SICOM). Después se introdujo la componente dinámica para el cálculo de la estabilidad. Se ensayó el tiempo de despliegue. El uso de un acumulador de presión redujo el tiempo en un 71%. El sistema electrónico predice correctamente el vuelco; cuando el índice de estabilidad está por debajo de 0.4, activa una señal acústica, cuando está por debajo de 0.2 despliega el arco. En caso de accidente, envía ubicación a emergencias. Se registra la información útil para reconstruir el accidente. HydraROPS es compatible con estructuras certificadas de protección. El tiempo de despliegue conseguido (<0,4s), es inferior al tiempo de vuelco. Desarrollo y evaluación de un simulador de conducción de tractores basado en la realidad virtual inmersiva para entrenar y evitar riesgos laborales. Para el diseño paramétrico del tractor y sus componentes se empleó el software CAD Solidworks. Se modelaron, ensamblaron y parametrizaron los componentes clave respetando sus especificaciones técnicas. Se aplicaron texturas y renderizado. Se calcularon las propiedades físicas (masa, centro de gravedad y momento de inercia) de los componentes para asegurar un comportamiento semejante al verdadero. Este proceso se realizó para 45 componentes clave, y para HydraRops. Diseño del escenario para conducción virtual. El programa de RV empleado fue Unity 5 y su motor de física de NVIDIA-PhysX y audio en 3D. La ruta se inicia en un cobertizo, se accede a una carretera principal, continúa por una secundaria hacia un cultivo de naranjos, pasa a otro de vid en espaldera y se accede a un invernadero. Al salir se accede a cultivos arbóreos en terrazas, subiendo y bajando. Si no hay riesgo de vuelco se puede mantener la ROPS en horizontal para evitar dañar los árboles. El escenario programado mide: Tiempo de conducción; tiempo detenido; fallos de colocación de ROPS; y Plano 2D resumen. Plataforma de simulación de movimiento Utiliza tres motores eléctricos, consigue 3 grados de libertad. Proporciona ±12° de movimientos pitch(delante-atrás) y roll(izquierda-derecha) y 100mm en vertical. Se puede emplear una pantalla o unas gafas de realidad virtual inmersiva (Oculus Rift). Sistema de sonido envolvente. Un cinturón de seguridad previene caídas. Se fabricó un simulador de conducción de tractor en RV Inmersiva para formación PRL en entornos de trabajo. El simulador se probó sobre una muestra de 127 personas y aportó las conclusiones: • Los participantes con conocimientos en PRL cometieron menos errores en el despliegue de la ROPS. • La percepción del riesgo y la seguridad aumentó después de la experiencia y de forma más significativa para los que no eran usuarios frecuentes de tractores. • Para los participantes, el uso de este simulador ayuda a conducir con mayor seguridad. • Los participantes consideraron la formación/capacitación muy positiva.[ENG] This doctoral dissertation has been presented in the form of thesis by publication.Esta tesis doctoral se presenta bajo la modalidad de compendio de publicaciones. La patente y los artículos que constituyen la tesis son los siguientes: 1. Ibarra Berrocal, I. Martín Górriz, B. Miguel Hernández, B., Ojados González, D., Caro García, F., Morales Sánchez, P., Morente Sánchez, A. 2014. Sistema de protección antivuelco para vehículos agrícolas. PATENTE DE INVENCIÓN, Número de publicación OEPM: 2452489, Fecha entrada: 13.03.2014, Fecha de presentación: 13.03.2014, Fecha publicación: 01.04.2014 Número de publicación: ES2452489. CIP INVENCIÓN PUBLICACIÓN: B60R 21/13. 2. D. Ojados González, B. Martín‐Górriz, I. Ibarra Berrocal, F. Caro García, P. Morales Sánchez, B. Miguel Hernández. 2016. Development of an automatically deployable roll over protective structure for agricultural tractors based on hydraulic power: Prototype and first tests. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 124: 46‐54. 3. D. Ojados González, B. Martín‐Górriz, I. Ibarra Berrocal, A. Macián Morales, G. Adolfo Salcedo, B. Miguel Hernández. 2017 Development and assessment of a tractor driving simulator with immersive virtual reality for training to avoid occupational hazards. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 143: 111‐118.Escuela Internacional de Doctorado de la Universidad Politécnica de CartagenaUniversidad Politécnica de CartagenaPrograma de Doctorado en Técnicas Avanzadas en Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario (TAIDA

ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF INTERACTIVITY ON VIRTUAL REALITY SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Virtual Reality (VR) being used as a helpful tool in language education is widely supported by the current literature. It can provide a variety of stimulating scenarios that keep learner engagement high. The use of VR for language learning is a research area that has shown promise in recent years. This makes it necessary for further research to be conducted in the field to determine ways to maximize its potential. This thesis aims to determine if the level of interactivity present in a VR Language Learning Application is a factor that will impact a user\u27s capability to successfully learn a second language. Also, to discover an optimal level of interactivity needed to foster successful language learning in VR can be identified when dealing with subjects with different age, gender, and previous VR experience. To satisfy these aims, 3 versions of a VR Language Learning Application were created with varying levels of interactivity. Data collected from participants of this study were used to test efficiency of the VR language learning application. Results of this analysis determine that the level of interactivity present in a VR Language Learning Application is a factor that will impact a user\u27s capability to successfully learn a second language. Also, according to the results, all interactivity levels are useful but no interactivity is the most optimal for successful language learning in VR

Analysis of Haul Truck- Related Fatalities and Injuries in Surface Coal Mining in West Virginia

Trucks are the primary means of haulage in surface coal, metal, and nonmetal mining operations. The number of fatal accidents involving trucks is higher when compared to all other mining equipment. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reports that 137 fatalities were haul truck- related in the United States between 1995 and 2011. A total of 12 truck-related accidents, including 13 fatalities, were recorded in surface coal mining operations in West Virginia (WV) during this period. The objectives of this research were to (i) analyze the root causes of these accidents, and (ii) develop effective intervention strategies to eliminate these fatalities. The Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) technique was used to systematically analyze truck related fatalities. Data on truck-related injury accidents in West Virginia surface coal mines during 2012 and 2013 were also analyzed in this study. Results of the study indicate that inadequate or improper pre-operational check and poor maintenance of trucks were the two most common root causes of these accidents. A total of eight accidents occurred on haul roads, while 10 accidents occurred while the trucks were moving forward. The two most violated provisions of Code of Federal Regulations were 30 CFR§77.404 - Machinery and equipment; operation and maintenance (six times), and 30 CFR§77.1606 - Loading and haulage equipment; inspection and maintenance (five times).;A total of 223 reported injuries were recorded at West Virginia surface coal mines. With the exception of two missing data, a total of 178 accidents were equipment-related and 43 accidents occurred without equipment being involved. The equipment categories accounting for the most number of injuries were: truck (57 times) and bulldozer/dozer/crawler tractor (43 times). The majority of the truck-related injuries occurred within the worker\u27s first five years at the mine and within the first five years at their current job title. Workers between ages 25 and 39 had the greatest percentage of injuries. Most injuries were recorded during Section I (6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.), and the fall season has the greatest number of truck-related injuries of all four seasons. Regarding the nature of injury, sprains and strains made up about 32%, topping all other types of injuries. The most commonly injured body part in truck-related injuries was the Multiple parts. .;A two-pronged approach to accident prevention was used: one that is fundamental and traditional (safety regulations, training and education, and engineering of the work environment); and one that is innovative and creative (e.g., applying technological advances to better control and eliminate the root causes of accidents). Suggestions for improving current training and education system were proposed, and recommendations were provided on improving the safety of mine working conditions, specifically safety conditions on haul roads, dump sites, and loading areas. Currently available technologies that can help prevent haul truck-related fatal accidents were also discussed. The results of this research may be used by mine personnel to help create safer working conditions and decrease truck-related fatalities and injuries in surface coal mining

Application of virtual reality for risk assessment and training in the minerals industry

The minerals industry often requires people to work in hazardous environments, these environments are constantly increasing in size and complexity as organisations look for new more cost-effective ways of extracting resources. Not only does this size and complexity bring with it additional safety concerns, the introduction of new legislation has placed the responsibility of employee safety with the organisation. Safety has become an important consideration, where once it might have been viewed as costly and counterproductive, organisations are now seeking to gain competitive advantage in this area. Two key areas of a successful safety management programme are risk assessment and training. These are important in designing systems and environments that are as safe as possible and in educating and training personnel to operate safely within those environments. Virtual Reality (VR) technology is one tool that has been applied successfully to the training requirements across a wide range of industries. In the past two years there is evidence to show that VR technology is becoming more widely used, partly due to the reduced cost and a reduction in the perceived technological complexity. As the cost of computing falls and the fidelity of the virtual worlds increases, VR is considered a viable option for a number of applications. Two prototype VR systems were designed and built. The first, a risk visualisation system, enhances a virtual environment with a risk-based overlay. The relationships between dangerous areas and equipment can be visualised in 3D. It also provides a framework for evaluating the risk programmatically at an arbitrary location. The second is a surface mine simulator that uses a hazard identification system as a tool to aid the training of haul truck operators in surface mine. This system includes a world construction tool that allows users to import and prepare the terrain, construct the virtual world, and specify any hazards. The training system can evaluate the performance of a trainee in the virtual world using a simple scoring algorithm