Investigating Whether the Mass of a Tool Replica Influences Virtual Training Learning Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Virtual Reality (VR) is a key technology for transferring manufacturing expertise.
• Immersive VR training often uses instrumented tool replicas.
• The impact of replica mass deviation on VR training effectiveness is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of virtual tool replica mass on learning outcomes in VR training.
• To assess if altered replica mass affects skill acquisition and performance in a manufacturing context.

Main Methods:

• An immersive VR training program for rotary tool usage was developed.
• 80 participants were divided into three groups: 100% (control), 50% (lighter), and 150% (heavier) replica mass.
• Pre- and post-training assessments were conducted under real-world conditions.

Main Results:

• Learning outcomes were comparable across all groups, irrespective of replica tool mass.
• Significant improvements in performance measures, such as task completion time, were observed.
• VR training effectively enhanced skill acquisition and performance.

Conclusions:

• The mass of the tool replica in VR training does not significantly affect learning outcomes.
• VR training is effective for skill transfer in manufacturing, even with mass discrepancies.
• Design considerations for VR tool replicas can accommodate mass variations without compromising training efficacy.