Counterbalancing virtual reality induced temporal disparities of human locomotion for the manufacturing industry

Intelligent automation, including robotics, is one of the current trends in the manufacturing industry in the context of “Industry 4.0”, where cyber-physical systems control the production at automated or semi-automated factories. Robots are perfect substitutes for a skilled workforce for some repeatable, general, and strategically-important tasks. However, this transformation is not always feasible and immediate, since certain technologies do not provide the required degree of flexibility. The introduction of collaborative robots in the industry permits the combination of the advantages of manual and automated production. In some processes, it is necessary to incorporate robots from different manufacturers, thus the design of these multi-robot systems is crucial to guarantee the maximum quality and efficiency. In this context, this paper presents a novel methodology for process automation design, enhanced implementation, and real-time monitoring in operation based on creating a digital twin of the manufacturing process with an immersive virtual reality interface to be used as a virtual testbed before the physical implementation. Moreover, it can be efficiently used for operator training, real-time monitoring, and feasibility studies of future optimizations. It has been validated in a use case which provides a solution for an assembly manufacturing process.

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Using Virtual Reality to Test Human-Robot Interaction During a Collaborative Task

Volume 1: 39th Computers and Information in Engineering Conference ◽

10.1115/detc2019-97415 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Roberta Etzi ◽

Siyuan Huang ◽

Giulia Wally Scurati ◽

Shilei Lyu ◽

Francesco Ferrise ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Physiological Responses ◽

Human Robot Interaction ◽

Robot Interaction ◽

Assembly Task ◽

Head Mounted Display ◽

Collaborative Platform ◽

Simple Assembly ◽

Human Robot Collaboration

Abstract The use of collaborative robots in the manufacturing industry has widely spread in the last decade. In order to be efficient, the human-robot collaboration needs to be properly designed by also taking into account the operator’s psychophysiological reactions. Virtual Reality can be used as a tool to simulate human-robot collaboration in a safe and cheap way. Here, we present a virtual collaborative platform in which the human operator and a simulated robot coordinate their actions to accomplish a simple assembly task. In this study, the robot moved slowly or more quickly in order to assess the effect of its velocity on the human’s responses. Ten participants tested this application by using an Oculus Rift head-mounted display; ARTracking cameras and a Kinect system were used to track the operator’s right arm movements and hand gestures respectively. Performance, user experience, and physiological responses were recorded. The results showed that while humans’ performances and evaluations varied as a function of the robot’s velocity, no differences were found in the physiological responses. Taken together, these data highlight the relevance of the kinematic aspects of robot’s motion within a human-robot collaboration and provide valuable insights to further develop our virtual human-machine interactive platform.

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An investigation of acceptance and e-readiness for the application of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies to maintenance training in the manufacturing industry

International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems ◽

10.1504/ijmms.2020.108310 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 39

Author(s):

Helen Scott ◽

David Baglee ◽

Roger O' ◽

N.A. Brien ◽

Rita Potts

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Augmented Reality ◽

Manufacturing Industry

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A Review of Extended Reality (XR) Technologies for Manufacturing Training

Technologies ◽

10.3390/technologies8040077 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 77

Author(s):

Sanika Doolani ◽

Callen Wessels ◽

Varun Kanal ◽

Christos Sevastopoulos ◽

Ashish Jaiswal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Augmented Reality ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Mixed Reality ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Comprehensive Review ◽

Assembly Task ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Current State ◽

Research Publications

Recently, the use of extended reality (XR) systems has been on the rise, to tackle various domains such as training, education, safety, etc. With the recent advances in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies and ease of availability of high-end, commercially available hardware, the manufacturing industry has seen a rise in the use of advanced XR technologies to train its workforce. While several research publications exist on applications of XR in manufacturing training, a comprehensive review of recent works and applications is lacking to present a clear progress in using such advance technologies. To this end, we present a review of the current state-of-the-art of use of XR technologies in training personnel in the field of manufacturing. First, we put forth the need of XR in manufacturing. We then present several key application domains where XR is being currently applied, notably in maintenance training and in performing assembly task. We also reviewed the applications of XR in other vocational domains and how they can be leveraged in the manufacturing industry. We finally present some current barriers to XR adoption in manufacturing training and highlight the current limitations that should be considered when looking to develop and apply practical applications of XR.

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Technology Enabled Manufacturing Industry Practices – Industry 4.0

International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering - 2 ◽

10.35940/ijrte.d1052.1284s419 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4S4) ◽

pp. 160-162

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Augmented Reality ◽

Industry 4.0 ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Emerging Technologies ◽

Manufacturing Industries ◽

Paradigm Shifts ◽

Vital Part ◽

Manufacturing Quality

The main aim of this research is to identify the scope for matured and emerging technologies to improve the quality, productivity, energy efficiency and sustainability. Industry 4.0 encourages the manufacturing industries to embrace conducive technologies. The paradigm shifts with OEMs manufacturing quality levels naturally elevate the expectations from the supplier industries. This demands more from the technology and R&D firms to deliver. Simulation technologies are becoming vital part of the industry practices. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality based simulations are being analyzed here with its utility in manufacturing industries.

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A Survey of Virtual Assembly Technology

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.10-12.711 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 10-12 ◽

pp. 711-716 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yue Dong Lang ◽

Ying Xue Yao ◽

Ping Jun Xia

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Virtual Assembly ◽

Research Progress ◽

Improve Product Quality ◽

Development Cost ◽

Typical Application ◽

Main Research ◽

Assembly Technology ◽

Key Techniques

Due to the worldwide competition of manufacturing industry and the development of virtual reality (VR) technology, virtual assembly (VA) has attracted many researchers to reduce development cost and improve product quality. As a typical application of VR in engineering, VA has become increasingly important for modern industry. In this paper, a survey of research progress about VA is analyzed. The conception and architecture of VA are introduced at first, the classification is also presented, then the main research contents and key techniques are discussed, finally the limitations and future works are pointed out.

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