VR mobile tour boosts safety training

A virtual reality mobile tour service that can provide health and safety training has been launched by Beca.

The service can run on a smartphone, and is tailored to a particular site and training outcome using site-specific imagery and data.

There are many applications for VR mobile tours, some of which include HSE training, site inductions, master planning, asset management and stakeholder engagement.

Beca Project Manager Andrew Cowie said the benefits of the VR tours are clear.

“Using VR for training is ideal as it is effective whilst being both cost- and time-efficient. The reality capture for these training tours is done easily with a handheld camera and the VR simulation works via a smartphone using a simple cardboard headset,” he said.

“Using VR technology can influence HSE culture by improving training consistency and engagement; studies using the technology have reported an improved user retention of as much as 60%,” he said.

“The tours allow users to move through the tour and interact with a virtual environment using a very simple, entirely ‘hands free’ interface. They either ‘find’ or are directed to training content within the tours and can complete the module remotely, allowing flexibility in training as there are no geographic constraints.”

A central data analysis tool accessible to business management captures all the records and inputs from training, which reduces reporting time and becomes a business asset for compliance checks and training improvement.

Benefits include reducing training time, cost and risk by moving around sites quickly and remotely; reducing travel time; and eliminating exposure to personal and business risks while training.

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