Towards Zero Prototyping of Factory Layouts and Operations Using Novel Gaming and Immersive Technologies

该项目旨在将世界领先的英国开发的离散事件仿真（DES）工具WITNESS与游戏技术中的两项互补创新整合在一起：虚拟现实（VR）眼镜Oculus Rift和集成3D传感设备Microsoft Kinect。由此产生的技术将通过将新颖的沉浸式VR和现场事件反馈功能整合到WITNESS中，解决阻碍在制造中更有效地使用建模和仿真的障碍。它将使工程师能够（i）在仿真模型生成的沉浸式协作环境中设计和测试新的流程和布局，（ii）将模型与实际车间进行比较，（iii）从虚拟环境中采取任何必要的更改，（iv）验证是否实施了所请求的更改，以及（v）是否实现了预期的结果。该项目将导致（i）DES软件使用方式的一步变化，（ii）为财团提供引人注目的高度适销的软件产品，（iii）主要合作伙伴在全球范围内扩大工厂运营的显着节省，以及（iv）提高英国行业的竞争力。

This project aims to integrate a world-leading UK-developed Discrete Event Simulation (DES) tool called WITNESS with two complementary innovations in gaming technologies: Oculus Rift, a Virtual Reality (VR) goggle, and Microsoft Kinect, an integrated 3D sensing device. The resulting technology will address the barriers that prevent more effective use of modelling and simulation in manufacturing by incorporating novel immersive VR and live event feedback capabilities into WITNESS. It will enable engineers to (i) design and test new processes and layouts in an immersive collaborative environment generated from the simulation model, (ii) compare the model with the actual shop-floor, (iii) action any necessary changes from within the virtual environment, (iv) verify whether the requested changes are implemented, and (v) whether the expected outcome is achieved. This project will result in (i) a step change in the way that DES software is used, (ii) compelling, highly marketable software products for the consortium, (iii) significant savings in the lead partner's globally expanding factory operations, and (iv) improvement in the UK industry's competitiveness.