Use of Immersive 3-D Virtual Reality Environments in Control Room Validations

Abstract Advanced technologies (e.g., virtual and augmented reality) may provide new possibilities to facilitate control room (CR) design and evaluation activities. We studied how immersive three-dimensional (3-D) virtual reality environments may augment and advance the evaluation of safety-critical nuclear power plant CR systems. A multiuser functionality enables several operators to be located and to collaborate in the same virtual CR environment at the same time. There is also a realistic representation of emergency operating procedures in the virtual CR. Spatial audio communication through headsets makes the experience even more realistic. The paper addresses both technical and human factors issues associated with the use of immersive 3-D virtual reality environments in CR validation tests, for example, the amount of technical resources required as compared to normal validation in a real-life physical simulator environment, creation of methodologically new testing opportunities, and new opportunities for data registration and analysis. A new framework has been established for estimating the needed fidelity level of the virtual CR for the type of system evaluation at hand.

[1]  Leandro Barbosa S. Gatto,et al.  Virtual simulation of a nuclear power plant's control room as a tool for ergonomic evaluation , 2013 .

[2]  Isaac José Antonio Luquetti dos Santos,et al.  The use of questionnaire and virtual reality in the verification of the human factors issues in the design of nuclear control desk , 2009 .

[3]  Lars-Ola Bligård,et al.  Involving users in a ship bridge re-design process using scenarios and mock-up models , 2016 .

[4]  Christoph Klimmt,et al.  A Process Model of the Formation of Spatial Presence Experiences , 2007 .

[5]  P Streit,et al.  DHM simulation in virtual environments: a case-study on control room design. , 2012, Work.

[6]  Snorre Hjelseth,et al.  Design and Computer Simulated User Scenarios: Exploring Real-Time 3D Game Engines and Simulation in the Maritime Sector , 2015 .

[7]  George Chryssolouris,et al.  A virtual reality-based experimentation environment for the verification of human-related factors in assembly processes , 2000 .

[8]  T. Hartmann.  The Spatial Presence Experience Scale (spes): a Short Self-report Measure for Diverse Media Settings the Spatial Presence Experience Scale (spes): a Short Self-report Measure for Diverse Media Settings Post-print Version , 2022 .

[9]  Kaj Helin,et al.  Ergonomic Evaluation of Cab Design Employing Digital and Physical Mock-Ups , 2022, Advances in Ergonomics In Design, Usability and Special Populations: Part I.

[10]  Robert S. Kennedy,et al.  Simulator Sickness Questionnaire: An enhanced method for quantifying simulator sickness. , 1993 .

[11]  Paula Savioja,et al.  Evaluating systems usability in complex work - Development of a systemic usability concept to benefit control room design , 2014 .

[12]  William R. Sherman,et al.  Understanding Virtual RealityInterface, Application, and Design , 2002, Presence: Teleoperators & Virtual Environments.