Research Using Virtual Reality: Mobile Machinery Safety in the 21st Century

Abstract

Whole-body vibration is a significant health risk for between 4% and 7% of the work force in North America. In addition, many factors compound the health risks of heavy machinery operators. For example, twisted trunk and neck postures stiffen the spine and increase the transmission of vibration to the head. Similarly, workers adopt awkward postures in order to gain appropriate lines of sight for machine operations. Although the relative contribution of these various issues can be evaluated in field studies and models, we propose that virtual reality is a powerful medium for investigating issues related to health and safety in mining machine operators. We have collected field data of posture and vibration, as well as visual environment, for a forklift operating in a warehouse. This paper describes the process and outcome of this field data collection, and provides a discussion on the next steps to develop and test the virtual reality model to enable laboratory testing. Our ongoing studies will evaluate the interplay between posture and vibration under conditions replicating routine heavy machinery operations, such as underground mining.

On the Design of Virtual Reality Learning Environments in Engineering

“…[9,10,12,15,[20][21][22]; and (ii) by using specially designed interaction devices similar to the ones used in the real control, e.g., machine operation consoles or vehicle control cockpits [23]. On the other hand, VR immersive applications are also subdivided into two subcategories, according to the visualization system of the virtual world: (i) the head-mounted display (HMD), which consists of active glasses with a small screen placed properly in front of each eye (Figure 2b) [7,[24][25][26][27]; and (ii) the virtual CAVE (cave automatic virtual environment), where the virtual world is projected on the walls, ceiling, and floor of a room by diverse stereoscopic projectors ( Figure 2). In this last case, the user must wear passive stereo glasses [28,29] Nevertheless, the use of VR in engineering education spreads further than the use of 3D-VLs.…”

Application of Virtual Reality (VR) Technology in Mining and Civil Engineering

“…Employing modern technological solutions is a vital aspect of ergonomics and hazard analysis in the workplace. Dickey et al [47] utilised virtual reality technology, incorporating physics-based models of vehicle dynamics along with advanced motion platforms, to develop powerful systems for assessing factors related to the health and safety of heavy equipment operators in the mining industry. Their applications enable controlled laboratory testing to simulate workplace conditions and evaluate worker comfort, injury risk and overall productivity.…”

Development and tolerability of a novel virtual- and proprioception-based car crash simulator as a new research tool in motor vehicle trauma research

“…The VISION platform also only allows for participants to be passengers as opposed to drivers of the virtual vehicle. Examination of the experience from the driver's perspective is an area for future development, and the same hardware has been used for simulated forklift driving (Dickey et al, 2013). Lastly, we only used a small sub-set of the VISION platform's settings.…”