Abstract:

The use of virtual worlds for acquisition of certain skills and competences increases an effectiveness of training through the maximum approximation to real conditions, from both the point of the objective environment’s view and possible actions.

We have developed the virtual workplaces for radio assemblers, adjusters and fitters; the mathematical models of these workplaces are offered, including a composition and description of the permitted actions. The software for the said virtual workplaces has been developed on basis of the UNITY platform. Intellectualization of virtual worlds is connected with the developed expert system (ES) for trainee’s actions assessment. This ES knowledge base is founded on the production rules. The direct logical inference is used to issue the recommendations to a trainee.

These virtual workplaces have been embedded into the corporate training environment of a company which is one of the Ulyanovsk State Technical University's (UlSTU’s) partners, and are used to upgrade its employees’ skills.

These virtual workplaces are also widely used by the UlSTU for students’ training in both bachelor's degree program and secondary vocational training program in “Radio-engineering systems and complexes”. Students and postgraduates of the Information Systems and Technologies Faculty of the UlSTU are involved to the development of the virtual workplaces’ software and 3D models.

The conducted pedagogical experiment demonstrates that the use of intelligent virtual workplaces has sufficiently favored to improve a quality and effectiveness of training in fitting, assembly and adjustment of the radio electronic equipment, as well as to reduce the total period of training by 20-30% and to increase the trainees’ motivation.

Keywords:

Virtual world, virtual workplace, intellectualization.