Using virtual reality to optimize human factors of informational systems for industrial machinery

在几个行业中，提高重型设备操作员的可见度仍然是一个关键目标。从闭路电视屏幕到视听危险指示器和RFID标签系统等复杂程度不同的接近检测系统已被用于各种重型设备。许多轻型乘用车现在都配备了后备视频监视器，以在倒车过程中帮助操作员。这些系统的主要目标是提高操作员的态势感知，并为操作员改进机器周围的障碍物检测。采矿和建筑行业继续报告重型设备死亡人数居高不下，这些事件往往与能见度问题有关。如果实施得当，接近探测系统有可能提高重型设备操作员的态势感知能力。到目前为止，重工业还没有采用接近探测系统的标准，尽管几家制造商正在销售旨在减少致命相互作用的系统。为这些系统设计适当的人为因素对于提高态势感知至关重要，同时又不会增加分心驾驶的额外危险。目前还没有足够的研究来自信地推荐一种为重工业设备量身定做的系统。拟议中的项目将确定采矿等行业的接近探测系统的最佳特征，这些行业很难成为低光和高眩光的环境，或者是繁忙的、可进入的城市建设工地。此外，信息显示竞争操作员的注意力，必须使用人体工程学原理以最佳方式整合到紧凑的机舱空间中。在这项研究计划达到顶峰时，这项工作将确定接近检测系统的组件，该系统将在不增加重型设备操作员的体力或认知工作量的情况下，以符合人体工程学的设计提供障碍检测能力。

Enhancing visibility for the operators of heavy equipment remains a critical goal in several industries. Proximity detection systems that range in complexity from closed-circuit television screens to audio-visual hazard indicators and RFID tagged systems have been used on a variety of heavy equipment. Many light passenger vehicles now come equipped with back-up video monitors to aid the operator during revering procedures. The main goal of these systems is to improve the situational awareness of the operator and improve obstacle detection around the machine for the operator. The mining and construction industries continue to report high levels of fatalities on heavy equipment, and these incidents have frequently been linked to visibility issues. Proximity detection systems have the potential to improve situational awareness for operators of heavy equipment if implemented correctly. To date, heavy industry has not yet adopted a standard for proximity detection systems although several manufacturers are marketing systems with an aim to reduce fatal interactions. The proper human factors design for these systems is critical for improving situational awareness, without adding the additional hazard of distracted driving. There is currently insufficient research to confidently recommend a system tailored to heavy industrial equipment. The proposed project will determine the optimal characteristics of a proximity detection system for industries like mining, which has the difficulty of being a low light and high-glare environment, or the busy, accessible worksites of urban construction. In addition, the informational display competes for the operator's attention, and must be optimally integrated into a tight cabin space using principles of ergonomics. At the culmination of this research program, the work will have identified the components of a proximity detection system that will provide obstacle detection capability in an ergonomic design that does not increase physical or cognitive workload for the operators of heavy equipment.