Technology is constantly advancing and is now part of almost every aspect of our lives, to the point that today it has become an ally when it comes to training personnel for any type of industry, mainly using virtual reality or augmented reality.
VR training
Virtual reality, also known as VR for its acronym in English, is a technology that allows users to place themselves in the midst of computer-generated scenes and environments that look real, and that allow them to interact with these fictitious scenarios through the use of special glasses, helmets and other devices. Usually the term virtual reality is associated with video games or recreational environments, but to believe that the capacity of this technology is limited only to these areas is a misconception. In recent years, the training of personnel using virtual reality simulations has become popular, especially in the industrial and military sectors, as it allows workers to prepare for risky situations in the workplace. This type of training allows running simulations of possible real scenarios for which personnel must be prepared, helping them to explore, understand and react physically and psychologically in a similar real situation. In addition, virtual reality can be used for the interpretation or analysis of complex information, allowing workers to visualize data, as well as to have a broader vision of concepts or processes, which could not be observed directly in the real world due to the risks it would imply for the personnel. As virtual reality company we have prepared an article where we highlight the benefits of this technology in different industry sectors.
Sectors that can benefit
Virtual reality is a technology that only requires the necessary equipment and the design and programming of scenarios to be able to adapt to almost any field, which is why the incidence of this system has spread to all types of industries and work situations.
Educational centers
The possibilities of virtual reality as a teaching method are almost endless, both at school and university level, as it allows a greater understanding of concepts, systems and even historical events or future possibilities. Developed countries with advanced educational programs have begun to include virtual reality as a tool at the disposal of their students, which will allow them to grow in terms of previous educational skills. This method can be especially effective in careers such as architecture or engineering by allowing students to visualize models of real structures, and even more effective in the medical field by allowing them to observe the human body and its internal systems.
Emergency services
Emergency services is one of the fields where the training and education of personnel through virtual reality can be most effective, helping to create more efficient systems with immediate responses and much more skilled workers when responding to a critical situation. In this sector, training can be applied to a wide variety of professions, all of which are needed at the time of an emergency. Aspiring firefighters can benefit from this type of training, being placed in risk scenarios such as fires in buildings at risk of demolition or rescue of people, helping them to know and master the correct way to proceed in such cases. Paramedics, nurses and doctors will also be able to visualize extreme emergency situations where they are faced with different patients who are victims of accidents, allowing them to train their capacity for diagnosis and immediate action, preparing them for real scenarios. But it is probably the police services that will benefit the most from virtual reality training, as they will be able to participate in high-risk situations, training in the handling of weapons, hostage rescue and negotiation with dangerous criminals, serving as training not only to proceed appropriately in these scenarios, but also to manage the stress levels to which they could be subjected.
Industry and infrastructure
The areas of industry and infrastructure are one of the sectors that could benefit most significantly from employee training through the use of virtual reality, whether in the public or private sector. Both industry and infrastructure sectors are governed by complicated and demanding safety systems, which must be fully complied with to avoid accidents, but there are still great risks in the development of work related to these divisions, due to the nature of their work. That is why it is essential for these industries to have highly trained personnel, capable of controlling any risk situation and reacting to the most serious work-related accidents. In this sense, there is no better way to train personnel than through the use of virtual reality, as it will allow them to participate in simulations where the safety of work and employees is compromised, either by system failures or external factors.
This type of imaginary situations will allow workers to understand the risks of the industry, and will provide them with the tools and knowledge necessary to face similar scenarios in the real world, educating them on the most effective techniques to solve any problems that may arise.
VR training will give industry personnel the ability to comply with basic training, know the techniques for the control of operational rooms, how to proceed in critical situations in conjunction with specialized personnel, and handling of personnel and civilians in cases of risk. All this with the advantage of a safe and controlled environment that will allow workers to master their training area.
Maritime industry
The maritime industry can also benefit from training through the use of virtual reality, as it will allow personnel to run simulations in which the safety of a vessel is compromised, allowing them to understand how their actions could affect the outcome of a critical situation. VR training will allow to control and verify the development of specific situations that could compromise the safety of personnel or civilians, and that can represent large capital losses for the industry, and will also help to avoid multiple incidents and support the security measures of industries and companies specialized in the maritime area.
Military training
The international military industry has programs that specialize in training soldiers through virtual reality systems, simulating extreme situations where personal and civilian safety is compromised, training them in the handling of critical situations and preparing them for action in the field. This type of training allows soldiers to learn about the risks in the field, developing their response skills and the appropriate tactics to respond to each situation. It also allows them to practice the handling of heavy weapons in a safe and controlled environment, without compromising anyone’s safety.
Innovation projects
Virtual reality has really variable uses as we have seen, however, its scope is not limited only to those we have broken down in this article, thousands of innovation projects are being carried out around the world with the use of VR. The development of new technologies in the area of agriculture, space training, the invention of new medical or construction techniques, all kinds of recreational applications and many other fields are using virtual reality as a method of growth and training, taking VR applications beyond what was initially imaginable.
Advantages of training in virtual reality environments
The latest commercial developments in virtual reality and the growing market for training simulators for industrial and emergency purposes have made virtual reality a great tool for learning. Training with this type of virtual experience offers innumerable and very interesting possibilities when it comes to industrial and emergency services training, since this is one of the technologies best suited for training purposes in hazardous occupations and has a large number of fields that can benefit from this type of simulations. There are several advantages that allow to achieve the teaching objectives in a satisfactory way, since these are very similar to the advantages of using a computer running an interactive simulation in three dimensions.
While it can be recognized that a simulation is only a representation of real life, there are features that can modify the experience and make it more similar to a particular situation.
For example, simulation can provide authentic and relevant scenarios that make use of situations where users would be under pressure and forced to act as they would in real life. In this way, if the correct technique is not yet mastered and practice is lacking, or if there are difficulties of some kind, the event in question can be repeated again until learning is completely satisfactory. Workers using this learning method should be aware that simulations allow them to explore new situations, make predictions about them, and design new experiments or maneuvers by interpreting the results. Virtual reality can illustrate some features and processes more accurately than other media, and it is really appealing to people because those who use this method are more motivated and attentive to experience the exciting and challenging 3D industrial environments and their interaction in them, whether creating, moving or modifying virtual elements. Courses that can be done in VR offer higher engagement and retention rates, achieving a connection with the content provided. With this technology encouraging active participation rather than passivity, users interacting with the virtual environment are encouraged to continue working and learning as there is also the possibility of making new discoveries in them, using new perspectives and providing ideas and solutions never before realized. They really feel like they are in the middle of the training scenario, being able to experience all the sights, sounds and emotions in a full 360-degree world with sight and sound. In addition, VR allows the user to proceed and obtain learning at their own pace and from basically anywhere, allowing them to literally learn by “doing” thanks to new technologies that provide the experience through simulations. In our opinion, there are four major advantages that this type of training can offer to any company that wants its employees to learn through virtual reality. These are:
Cost reduction:
training in virtual environments reduces the large costs associated with real-life simulations. For example, the resources used in training police and firefighters, as they must close roads and involve many people as actors to simulate dangerous scenarios. VR training makes it possible to teach any process at minimal cost.
Safe scenarios:
Virtual environments make it possible to train with hazardous materials or dangerous situations without being in real danger. Students’ lack of experience can be a risk in some industries, such as those involving working at heights or handling hazardous materials. VR-based simulations offer a safe environment where participants can train in peace of mind.
Different scenarios in one place:
learners can enjoy learning in many different scenarios, simulating different conditions and without the need to move from place to place. The difference between virtual reality scenarios and traditional simulations is the sense of immersion and realism offered by the former.
Personalized training:
As mentioned above, users can set their own training priorities and customize their training sessions according to their preferences to make it self-paced, allowing them to train whenever they want by simply accessing the computer and running the VR training simulation.
Conclusion
Simply put, the use of virtual reality for industrial training has so much potential because it offers the benefit of actually exploring a facility without having to physically be there. This means that training sessions can be conducted without the risk of interfering with normal business operations. The technology needed to produce detailed 3D models of industrial facilities is already widely available, so it’s only natural that more companies will start opting to take advantage of it by putting their workers in VR situations. It also solves a problem that trainers have long been grappling with: the best way to learn the intricacies of a facility is to explore and experience it for yourself, but doing so won’t always be safe or practical. With VR, users will be able to explore it beforehand and when they actually find themselves there, they’ll have the confidence they wouldn’t get otherwise. The best part of all this is that they won’t have to risk injury to get that confidence. If you are ready to take advantage of virtual reality, TwoReality offers everything you need to start the learning process for your company.