Solar Energy Systems Design using Immersive Virtual Reality: A Multi-Modal Learning Approach

Abstract

<p>As the demand for renewable energy sources continues to increase, solar energy is becoming an increasingly popular option. Therefore, effective training in solar energy system design and operation is crucial to ensure the successful implementation of solar energy technology. To make this training accessible to a wide range of people from different backgrounds, it is important to develop effective and engaging training methods. Immersive virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing solar energy training and education. In this paper, we present a unique approach to evaluating the effectiveness of an immersive VR experience for solar energy systems design training, using a multi-module approach and a detailed analysis of user engagement. To better understand the effectiveness of this VR experience, we divided our experiment into several scenes and employed a range of sensors, including eye-tracking and wireless wearable sensors, to accurately assess users' engagement and performance in each scene. Our results demonstrate that the immersive VR experience was effective in improving users' understanding of solar energy systems design and their ability to perform complex tasks. Moreover, by using sensors to measure user engagement, we identified specific areas that required improvement and provide insights for enhancing the design of future VR training experiences for solar energy systems design. Our study highlights the potential of immersive VR as a tool for enhancing solar energy training and education, with implications for both research and practice.</p>