For years, the significant economic potential of virtual reality for employee qualification has been discussed, and it continues to gain importance with the advance of alternative drive systems. New engine technologies, different measurement systems, modified cabling, and much more entail a wide range of new operational procedures in production as well as in service and maintenance. The increasing use of collaborative robotics in production also requires greater training efforts for personnel who are expected to work “hand in hand” with the technology.

With Machine@Hand 2.0, Fraunhofer IGD in Rostock is now presenting the second version of its VR training environment. It replicates the complexity of production lines in terms of machinery, material supply, tools, and the spatial production environment. This allows every work step to be tested and trained in virtual reality. The insights gained from virtual validation contribute to optimizing workstations and workflows for new models and component variants and make a major contribution to occupational safety, particularly for hazardous procedures. As a result, every movement is perfected even before the first real vehicle rolls off the production line.

Creating VR Training Content Easily In-House

VR is already integrated into many business and manufacturing processes and is a daily component of complex planning workflows. At the latest since Audi implemented virtual assembly planning for new vehicle models using a VR system, VR has become established in the automotive industry as a cost-saving digital method. However, creating training content that is precisely tailored to new components, new production procedures, or maintenance scenarios remains a challenge.

Machine@Hand includes an easy-to-use authoring tool. Trainers can directly load components and their parts into the system as 3D or CAD models and use them as templates for VR training elements. This enables the creation of customized training scenarios without any programming knowledge. Training content can be supplemented or adapted with texts and information. A wide range of libraries allows diverse elements to be combined into complex learning scenarios. This makes it easy to integrate into existing e-learning production workflows and enhances existing authoring tools with an effective VR component.

Mario Aehnelt, Head of the Visual Assistance Technologies Department at Fraunhofer IGD in Rostock, explains:
“With Machine@Hand 2.0, we have developed a virtualization platform that stands out from in-house systems primarily due to its integrated VR authoring tool, while still being easy to integrate into complex technical infrastructures. Fraunhofer IGD has been a reliable partner to the automotive industry for many years. We develop high-quality solutions and set new standards in digitalization. In addition, we support our partners with comprehensive scientific consulting and a wide range of complementary services.”

Next Development Stages: Ergonomics and Collaboration

The team led by Mario Aehnelt is currently working on two additional unique features of Machine@Hand 2.0. Whenever cooperative work is required, other software solutions often reach their limits. Fraunhofer IGD is therefore developing the option for joint training, allowing team-based workflows to be trained virtually. This saves travel time and ensures training even when group instruction and joint practice sessions are not possible—such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Already, complex workflows can not only be trained using the VR system but also evaluated for their psychological strain on humans. A variety of stress-related parameters (breathing, pulse, skin conductance, etc.) can be recorded via a smartwatch during the VR application and fed directly into the system. Evaluation is performed automatically using machine learning. Measuring physical strain is also planned in order to ergonomically optimize workflows and train healthy working practices.

Visual Computing Research as the Basis for New Technologies

Fraunhofer IGD is a reliable partner for industry and has been setting standards in visual computing for over 30 years. This is achieved through a unique breadth of expertise and technologies that are bundled and tailored to partners’ needs.

Industry-experienced, cross-functional expert teams can also take over project management for projects of all sizes. As a result, the Visual Computing alliance of Fraunhofer IGD, Fraunhofer Austria, and Fraunhofer Singapore serves as a primary point of contact for visual computing—from agile “speedboat” projects to long-term transformation initiatives. This is sustainably supported by international access and networks involving young talents and established experts.

For further information on Machine@Hand 2.0 or to express interest, please contact: machineathand@igd-r.fraunhofer.de
A demo version of the authoring tool is available for free testing.