Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies have the potential to significantly enhance training, safety, and operational efficiency in the mining industry. Not only that, but some really exciting developments are happening in these spaces.
But to start, what are the differences between these technologies?
Very simplistically:
- Virtual Reality (VR) immerses the user within a digitally constructed environment, giving the feel that you have been transported to a completely new world.
- Augmented Reality (AR) integrates the simulated world with the real one, thereby providing an interactive overlay of real-time information.
Virtual Reality:
The beginnings of VR as we know it was in the 1960s at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory. One of the early applications was used by Bell Helicopters.
Even then the user needed a headset that covered their field of vision and effectively isolated them from the physical world – in that era the computer mouse hadn’t yet been invented! Initially the headset was too heavy to be worn comfortably and was held in place by a suspension system. Advances in computer technology have of course changed all this.
Today the idea of VR is to eliminate the real world as much as possible and isolating the user from it. The most common applications are in gaming, but there are some business applications too. For example, because VR creates realistic representations of complex mining environments, workers and engineers can practice complex procedures and emergency scenarios without exposing themselves to physical danger. New staff can operate heavy machinery or navigate underground tunnels – scenarios that would be prohibitively expensive or dangerous to replicate in real settings.
Challenges facing this technology include:
- High initial technology costs.
- Integration complexities.
- Data security.
- Putting on the headset and clearing the room can be very disruptive.
Augmented Reality:
Inevitably the concepts of AR came out of VR development even back in the 1960s.
Unlike VR which requires a headset, AR relies on a smartphone or tablet screen. The phone’s camera generates a live-streaming video of the scene of interest. The phone’s screen is then overlaid with the information required to interact with the scene of interest. For example, this information can be things like:
- Repair instructions.
- Navigation information.
- Diagnostic data.
Gaming applications have also been developed – e.g. the Pokemon game allows the player to attempt to capture virtual creatures while moving around the real world.
Challenges facing this technology include:
- Limited mobile processing capability.
- Limited mobile bandwidth.
- Complex/expensive development.
Applications of VR and AR in the mining industry:
While the possibilities are more or less limitless, here are some exciting areas:
- VR enables the transformation of complex 2D drawings into interactive 3D models. In the area of mine planning, this enables engineers to assess site viability, identify potential risks, and optimise resource allocation.
- Using VR, this same ability to develop 3D models allows geologists to examine the intricate geology of ore deposits with remarkable precision.
- AR allows technicians to maintain a wide range of products ranging from industrial equipment to entire buildings without having to refer to printed manuals or websites by overlaying detailed instructions atop the machinery itself.
- Perhaps the most fruitful application allows designers to see what hypothetical products or structures look like in real environments.
What’s next?
While video gaming and entertainment will continue to drive this market, practical applications will also emerge. Improvements in video quality, processing power, and mobile bandwidth will drive mainstream acceptance. For example, it is possible that by upgrading virtual shopping experiences, the need for physical shopfronts will become obsolete.
It does seem like the future of these technologies will be limited by our imaginations only.
