Immersive VR : A New Era in Mining Safety

June 11, 2024
Above: Students trying out the VR mining module at the Department of Mining Engineering open house. The students are in the Newmont classroom, on which an education model was based.
PHOTO CREDIT: BIANCA LYON

It’s the end of a shift in an underground mine, and you’re midway through a safety checklist. Suddenly, smoke fills the cavern and emergency lights flash. Your co-workers yell and chaos ensues. What do you do?

Before you panic, remember that this is a practice scenario in an innovative simulation that prepares for the worst in a virtual world.

The Center for Mine Safety and Health at the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Utah, in collaboration with the Chile-based company Minverso, has developed the initial phase of a first-ever metaverse platform that includes a mining training program using virtual reality (VR). This collaborative initiative blends cutting-edge technology with academic expertise for the benefits of both students and the mining industry.

“This mining metaverse is not just technological innovation,” said mining department chair Charles Kocsis. “It is, most importantly, a product of shared experience and dedication to providing students and the mining industry a holistic and immersive learning experience.”

Screenshot of a module to learn safety techniques in an underground mine. PHOTO CREDIT: MINVERSO/UNIVERSITY OF UTAH.

Qualified faculty and research assistants from the U and Minverso, a VR training company, created a team to build, test and validate the innovative health and safety program to be coupled with an evacuation training system for mine workers. The initial phase of the system was made available to the public in early February of 2024. It provides real-time guidance to underground mine workers in case of emergency. The goals are to save lives while establishing a far-reaching culture of health and safety in mines around the world.“The technology promises to deliver ‘training without risks,’” said Minverso commercial director Dallin Wood.

For the next phase, the research team will include experts in psychology, education, and health sciences from the U.

This collaborative initiative will next add the immersive mine evacuation training module to the metaverse platform. This will help model and understand workers’ behavior during emergencies while increasing the miners’ confidence to reach the closest refuge station or exit the mine.

“This metaverse platform maximizes educational efficiency by offering a bridge between theoretical knowledge and practical mining applications,” explained Kocsis. In addition, the simulated space for high-complexity mining operations prepares students for the dynamic challenges offered by the mining industry.

Read the Full Article By David Pace @The U.

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