Case Study on Mobile Virtual Reality Construction Training

Abstract

Recent surveys among construction firms found, a majority has a hard time filling craft worker/hourly positions and salaried jobs. Among the ways they are trying to create more is in-house training. However, existing learning methods have been lagging effectiveness or are outdated. New approaches, like mobile virtual reality, are being investigated. In this paper, the authors describe their approach to a low cost virtual reality training that offers personalized feedback for trainees or workers. The developed approach utilizes elements of gamification for motivational purposes. While the training requirements were gathered in dialogue with leading companies in the construction and engineering industry sectors, the research conducted focused on prototyping and testing the novel learning concept. As a result, the authors developed a mobile virtual reality application that utilizes the Google Daydream SDK that runs on Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Go or compatible other inexpensive devices. The application was tested and evaluated by industry representatives. An outlook provides the path forward in research and development.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Construction Safety Training and Lessons Learned

“…This statement reinforces a known strength of using VR for training [2], [15], [16]. Future iterations of this research could make use of this comment to strengthen the visual content in the VR environment.…”

“…They chose to use a VR based platform for training where people can make mistakes without harming themselves or others. Lastly, Wolf, Teizer, and Ruse [2] approach training in VR with a low-cost solution that was prototyped to train workers in construction safety techniques. Despite these successful research studies aimed at positive student learning outcomes, there were some limitations concerning the content, whether in terms of the realism, the complexity, or the variability of the programmed environment that the user experience.…”

“…Similarly today, VR is in a sense intended to act on the viewer's perceptions in such a way as to cause experiences and potentially feelings to encourage different human behavior [19]. Despite the literature that supports or casts doubt on VR, there is an underlying notion that the content is what truly differentiates the VR experience [2], [13, (p.1249)], and potentially has some effect on the learning experience. Instead of merely creating a virtual environment and testing if the outcome had a benefit or not, there needs to be a more thoughtful approach toward measuring the content that is represented and its impact on the VR learning experience, currently the research is lacking in this dimension of the study.…”

“…This research study was conducted to examine the possible benefits of using VR to reinforce learned concepts about construction excavation safety by allowing students to interact in a fully immersive simulated construction project site. The simulation was designed to score the student's progress thereby casting an element of gamification [2] in the learning experience as well. This paper describes the experiment, its findings, and concludes with additional considerations for other researchers that want to undertake similar studies involving VR usage in the construction management classroom.…”

Digitalisierung der Arbeitssicherheit auf Baustellen

“…In den entwickelten virtuellen Lernumgebungen werden authentische Lernsituationen mit Hilfe von Ansätzen des situierten Lernens unter Verwendung von VR und AV-Simulationen [17] dargestellt (Abb. 26.4).…”