Virtual Reality and Mine Safety Training

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Virtual Reality and Mine Safety Training
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University of Nevada, Reno

• Pierre Mousset-Jones
• Fred Harris
• Ben Lucchesi
• Nerissa Oberlander

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This work was partially sponsored by

• Echo Bay Minerals
• Newmont Gold
• Nevada Division of Industrial Relations
• Mine Safety Health Administration

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Training Vehicle Operators Expensive but
Necessary

• Downside to training
• man hours for training
• qualified trainer available
• employee not working while training
• equipment for training
• truck taken out of production
• Upside to training
• increased productivity
• less downtime due to equipment failure
• less downtime due to employee injury

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Current Training Methods

• Written Material
• pamphlets
• training manuals
• Training Videos
• Seminars with trainer
• Live inspection of truck with trainer

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Deficiency of these Training methods

• Books and videos are static learning material
• Memorization of process without experience

A new training method is needed

• People learn by doing

Interactive training

• Training aid is able to simulate many situations

non-static

• Non-static Interactive training

Experience
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Project Goal

• Provide an alternative method of training through
  simulation
• focus less on memorizing and more on doing
• Make the simulation interactive
• make the trainee perform and as well as evaluate
  performance
• Make the simulation configurable
• dont give the trainee the benefit of memorizing
  the training simulation - change it every time
• help the trainee understand how their training
  will apply to the real world through experience

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Virtual Reality

• Our implementation combines
• 3D graphics
• displays information
• User input
• user interaction with appropriate device

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3D graphics

• Draw objects, not pictures

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User input

• Facilitate movement in 3D world
• Intuitive use

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VR and Mine Safety Training

• Apply VR technology to training
• simulate real world situations
• allow users to practice skills
• Examples
• vehicle inspection (MVIS)
• driver training (MVDS)
• underground rescue and evacuation (future work)

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MVIS(Mine Vehicle Inspection Simulation)

• Simulate pre-operational vehicle inspection
• 3D image of vehicle in world
• parts on vehicle are damaged
• User interaction
• user moves around vehicle
• user inspects parts
• Configurable
• damaged parts are selected ahead of time
• configurations can be saved for reuse

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MVIS Demo

• Open Scene file
• Scenario selection
• configure at runtime
• select pre-configured scenario
• Start inspection
• inspect parts on vehicle
• Stop inspection
• View inspection results

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MVIS Future Work

• Model configurator
• dissect raw model
• Scenario setup
• easy configuration
• Result evaluator
• easy performance evaluation
• statistical analysis
• animation of inspection

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MVDS(Mine Vehicle Driving Simulation)

• Simulate vehicle operation in a surface mine
• Simulate vehicle performance
• Simulate mining operation (other vehicles,
  equipment, people, hazards, )
• Configuration
• use custom pits
• use company vehicles

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MVDS Demo

• Current version is a proof of concept
• demonstrates custom mine usage
• import DTM file format
• demonstrates scenario setup
• save scenario configuration
• demonstrates simple interaction
• drive in saved scenario

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MVDS Future Work

• enhanced physics model
• vehicle movement
• environment interaction
• enhanced graphics
• multi-user support
• performance evaluation

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Other projects

• Underground rescue and evacuation training
• ventilation simulation (fire, smoke, )

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Other peoples work

• Accident recreation
• computer animation
• video clips