Ground breaking enhancement for interactive training and immersion in mine visualisation in a safe environment
The development of immensely realistic Virtual Reality underground and surface mining environments resulting from a unique inter-disciplinary collaboration at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has generated multi-million dollar sales and attracted intense interest across the mining sector.
Initial commercial contracts are focused on mine safety with New South Innovations (NSi), the technology commercialisation division of UNSW, signing a multi-million dollar agreement to supply Virtual Reality (VR) technologies to Mines Rescue Pty Ltd (MRPL) for safety training. This outcome is the result of a seven year development process within the School of Mining Engineering at UNSW in collaboration with Coal Services Pty Ltd (CSPL).
Similar to a giant sophisticated computer game, each interactive software module recreates mine environments for various training scenarios, and are displayed in multiple theatre modes including a 360-degree AVIE version for group training and a 180-degree iDome for individual training sessions.
The world first AVIE (Advanced Visualisation and Interaction Environment) and benchmark iDome theatres were developed by the iCinema Centre for Interactive Research. The sales agreement will see UNSW supply four 360-degree AVIE theatres and 12 iDomes delivered to CSPL at four purpose built VR training sites across NSW. The technology is being deployed initially at Argenton (Newcastle), Woonoona (Wollongong), Lithgow and Singleton.
AVIE Advanced Visualisation and Interaction Environment
Key characteristic differentiators for the latest iCinema technology include:
A 360 degree stereo projection theatre delivers a high-resolution totally immersive 3D experience
Capability to be interactively used by groups rather than just one person at a time (a limitation of overseas VR developments)
Unprecedented level of realism and immersion
Trainees can actually recognise their own mine environments
Continual build-up of database of actual mines
Ability to be tailored to individual mine or equipment manufacturer needs
Image, not text-based training delivers potential to be easily used in overseas operations such as in China or Latin America
Initial introduction to the immersion environment is an uncanny realistic experience. In an underground mine vehicle moving along a drive, for instance, you can see in all directions as in real vision simply depending on where you look. You feel you can reach out and touch the roof bolts. You can manoeuvre past static vehicles. Or walk up to operating continuous miners. And in the process you can interactively learn where you should or should not go - and to recognise danger signs and situations.
Similarly in an open cut simulated environment at the wheel of a giant haul truck you can learn to manoeuvre beside an electric shovel for loading and be alert to how easy it is not to see people or personnel vehicles from a driving position several metres high.
These virtual experiences enable users to begin to visualise and recognise complex mining situations, build up a knowledge of procedures and skills and undergo training in a safe and forgiving environment.
iDome
Dr Phil Stothard, Chairman of the International Mining VR Group and Senior Research Fellow at the UNSW School of Mining Engineering, is responsible for creating the interactive group based virtual reality training scenarios for Coal Services that will run on the systems. "UNSW and CSPL are leading the world in this field," he said. "There is no question that these technologies have the potential to save lives and their full potential will be fully realised through further domestic and international collaboration.
Use of these systems provides mines with key cost savings in addition to their ability to provide enhanced safety training:
It allows training to take place at any time of day
It reduces down time on taking equipment out of production for training purposes
This reduces training impact on production levels
Being highly familiar equipment and its operation through the training simulation means that operators are far less likely to damage multi-million dollar equipment once they start in the actual operating environment - a huge saving on maintenance and repair
Improved knowledge and skills reduce injuries and increase productivity
Improved competency increases staff morale
Improved risk assessment tools
Workforce has high level of competence before entering real environment
Maintains a record of personal assessment and achievements
Identifies deficiencies in personnel training without risk
Trains away unsafe practices
Enables faster start-up with better prepared staff
The progressive improvement of the technology and delivery of novel interactive content continues through interfaculty collaborative research.
