Most likely you already know that Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are rapidly evolving and growing technologies.  They utilize the latest high powered computers and graphics cards to simulate real or imaginary environments and situations with a high degree of realism and interactivity. This is great for gaming and other fun applications, but did you also know that it’s already being adopted broadly by the process and manufacturing industries to bring value to the workplace?

Virtual Reality has also been applied in a wide range of other areas  – like assisting in the visualization of complex data, robot control and remote operation of equipment.  It’s also extremely impactful in virtual prototyping and design, HAZOP analysis and most importantly — plant crew training. The success of those applications has relied heavily on a realistic virtual environment which can today be created in a very cost effective manner.

Plant Crew Training

Today, Gamers (adults and kids) spend time playing their 3D games, and after a period of time become familiar with all the characters of the game.  They learn how they should interact with these characters and repeatedly navigate the layout of the virtual environment until they know their way around.  And they learn how to “win” by successfully performing whatever tasks are set by the game designers.

And also today, the process industries are using gaming technologies to create Virtual Reality replicas of real world production facilities. This virtual world is then being used as an Immersive Training Simulator (ITS),  which allows field operators to interact with the virtual world using game controllers and 3D headsets or televisions.  It is similar to how a Control Room Operator interacts with an Operator Training Simulator through the trainee control panel or console.

Some key differences between “games” and industrial applications include:

• the environment where the trainee “plays” is the actual plant
• the characters are their colleagues in the field and the control room staff, and
• their tasks to “win” are standard and non-routine operating procedures

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