Virtual Reality Overhead Crane Simulator

In recent decades, government investments in occupational safety and health programs, as well as the development and training of workers' skills have taken place. Furthermore, the demand for training methods tailored to the needs of workers led the researchers to question the effectiveness of conventional training methods and investigate new ones. Innovative training systems such as virtual reality-based ones allow certain constraints to be overcome and researchers to investigate the psychophysiological factors and environmental settings that can influence workers’ performances. Virtual reality-based training systems are used in various fields. Heavy load handling is predominant in different industrial sectors, and false use of cranes can cause serious accidents with fatal consequences. After a preliminary investigation of the most hazardous scenarios in Italy, a Virtual Reality Overhead Crane Simulator has been built. In previous research, the simulator was used to investigate different typologies of noise (low frequency, high frequency and modulated) on the overhead crane operators' performance and physiological responses. The preliminary results of this investigation revealed that high-frequency noise influences more than others the errors of oblique manoeuvres and excessive oscillation. The same results, although not conclusive, showed that modulated noise seems to highly affect the variations of the GSR and the LF/HF ratio of heart rate. This paper aims to illustrate the workflow used to build up the Virtual Reality Overhead Crane Simulator from the 3d modelling to the construction of the virtual scenario and the interacting programming used to investigate some critical aspects of the handling of heavy loads in industrial environments highlighting the criticalities found during the studies carried until now and the future approaches.