ViRtus: A Virtual Reality Application for Training and Performance Analysis

Interest in, and the need for, remote learning tools and techniques, as well as the adoption and deployment of digital technologies for tutoring and training, continues to rise. Concurrently, over the past decade, the use of Virtual Reality (VR) applications as a supplementary tool in the learning process has increased significantly. Therefore, VR simulation applications are expected to play a key role in people's education and training in the coming years. In this study, we designed and developed a VR training application called ViRtus -a VR-based system following constructivist and serious game human-computer interaction principles for VR-aided training- and applied it to a real-world scenario, i.e., the construction of an industrial electrical control panel. To demonstrate the potential and sustainability of the VR training system as an alternative to traditional apprenticeship training procedures, we conducted an experimental study comparing the real-world outcomes of three groups trained using a conventional method, a VR-only training, and a hybrid approach combining both. Based on qualitative assessments and the statistical analysis of practical experiments, the collected data and observations indicate that the hybrid VR constructivist training strategy -supplementing conventional trainer instructions with the VR application- can enhance training effectiveness and promote a more productive and sustainable workplace, for both trainees and trainers, in high-risk industrial tasks.