Immersion in hybrid learning: an innovative training day on the X-Manufacturing platform.
As part of its commitment to providing cutting-edge, immersive training, the Bordeaux campus recently trialed a training module on digital twins, initially aimed at second-year PM apprentices. It is based in particular on the "assembly line" digital twin created by the CEA as part of the JENII project. Overall, the module uses both physical and virtual environments, drawing on the X-Manufacturing platforms (a reconfigurable assembly/disassembly platform, part of which was funded by the JENII project) and the EMIRE platform, dedicated to the use of AR/VR/MR (augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality) technologies.
The macro objective of the module is that, by the end of the module, students will be able to propose a use case for digital twins within the company where they are doing their apprenticeship. The aim of the training day is therefore to enable students to experiment with and evaluate the relevance of different technologies in their context of use, and to understand the difficulties involved in implementing them.
The group of around 20 students is divided into two, with each half following a specific learning path. The first explores the physical X-Manufacturing platform, while the second delves into the digital twin of this same platform in virtual reality (VR) in the EMIRE space. The roles are then reversed.
This organization allowed project observers (ICIFTech and CESI) to assess the impact of the order of immersion in the platform (real then virtual or virtual then real) on the students' actions and feelings, and then translate this into recommendations for the use of virtual technologies for learning.
X-Manufacturing Space: technology exploration and hands-on manipulation
For the group visiting the X-Manufacturing physical platform, the experience begins with the physical assembly of cylinders according to a provided assembly guide. This allows them to quickly understand and grasp the subtleties of assembly in a real-world environment.
This is followed by a detailed presentation of the technologies available on the production line, such as the DIOTA augmented reality solution, the ARKITE augmented reality solution, and a screwdriving assistance solution from DOGA. Teachers highlight the various industrial applications of these systems and the data that can be retrieved, and explain how they are integrated into smart assembly processes.
EMIRE space: immersion in the virtual environment of the assembly line
Meanwhile, the second group finds itself immersed in the virtual reality (VR) room. There, students learn about other augmented reality technologies and, above all, virtual reality with the twin created as part of the JENII project.
During their experiment, students are immersed in the virtual world of the assembly line. Through realistic simulations, students are challenged to assemble the cylinder, allowing them to understand the possibilities of these technologies compared to an activity involving direct manipulation of the real world.
