Virtual Immersive Robot-Assisted Multimodal Learning in Manufacturing
The VIRAMM project develops an Extended Reality (XR) based Virtual Learning Factory that connects research, education, and industrial practice. It combines immersive visualization with real-world manufacturing knowledge to create a training environment where students and professionals can experience, analyze, and optimize production processes alongside digital robots. Within a virtual U-shaped assembly line, trainees take on roles such as production planner, process optimizer, or robotics integrator and collaborate to improve workflows, define gripping points, and explore different levels of robotic support.
Technology
VIRAMM builds on the expertise of two research groups at TH Köln: the Computer Graphics Group, specializing in multimodal human-robot interaction and XR technologies, and the Institute for Production, which contributes applied manufacturing knowledge and access to a physical learning factory. Together they integrate advanced interaction methods such as gaze control, speech recognition, and hand-based manipulation into a shared, multi-user training environment. This learning environment will be systematically evaluated as part of OC2 to measure its effectiveness and usability in real training scenarios.
The results will inform improvements to the system and provide practical insights for developing future XR-supported learning and collaboration environments.
Using MindPort’s VR Builder and the VIROO platform, VIRAMM extends the MASTER XR ecosystem with a modular and authorable framework for virtual training. The project aims to make complex manufacturing processes tangible and engaging, promoting a deeper understanding of human-robot collaboration and supporting the development of practical skills for the digital transformation of industry.
