Virtual and Augmented Reality: A New Era in Training
A construction worker faces a potentially life-threatening situation and has to react quickly to stay safe. Unfortunately, their response proves to be slow or incorrect. The good news is that the employee is not in danger because the worker is wearing a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, and the danger exists only in the virtual world.
Virtual reality training has been in use for some time, mostly in large companies in industries like construction, healthcare, and retailing. Now, it’s beginning to become available for home Improvement companies. The advantages are many. In addition to providing a safe learning environment, VR training is generally less costly and more effective than conventional methods.
VR tools can shorten the time it takes to make a new team member ready to go to work or help experienced technicians learn new skills and technologies. This can be extremely useful in a tight hiring market. It can also provide an advantage over competitors when seeking new employees.
Compared to video training, VR provides a more “hands-on” approach that can help users grasp vital concepts more quickly. VR also appeals to workers who grew up with awareness and familiarity around virtual environments for gaming.
Most VR training modules use headsets to create a virtual environment that is like what the learner will encounter on the job. In VR training, students can encounter dangerous, or even life-threatening situations and learn how to respond in a safe environment.
Remodeling materials and equipment suppliers are beginning to offer VR safety programs to help technicians install or use their products safely. There are also a growing number of training products and services available.
There’s more to come!
As VR expands in many industries, the next step is already on the horizon. Augmented Reality (AR) takes the process to the next level by placing VR imaging into the real world. The concept has been used in gaming for years. While early VR games go back to the late 80’s and early 90’s, there was much greater access to games that came along later, such as Pokémon Go in 2016. This created an environment in which players would find and capture Pokémon characters in the real world.
Currently, AR systems are being used to train employees in numerous industries including automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, tourism, retail, aerospace and defense, among others. If you haven’t already, it’s time to investigate how you can utilize this solution for your company’s training needs.