Abstract
Safety-focused training is essential for the operation and maintenance concentrated on the reliability of critical infrastructures, such as power grids. This paper introduces and evaluates a system for power substation operational training by exploring and interacting with realistic models in virtual worlds using serious games. The virtual reality (VR) simulator used building information modelling (BIM) from a 115 kV substation to develop a scenario with high technical detail suitable for professional training. This system created interactive models that could be explored using a first-person-perspective serious game in a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE). Different operational missions could be carried out in the serious game, allowing several skills to be coached. The suitability for vocational training carried out by utility companies was evaluated in terms of usability and engagement. The evaluation used a System Usability Scale (SUS) and a Game Engagement Questionnaire (GEQ) filled by 16 power substation operators demonstrating marginally acceptable usability, with improvement opportunities and high acceptance (by utility technicians) of this system for operation training focused on safety in such hazardous tasks.
Highlights
Power substations are key components for the continued and reliable operation of the power system
Dispersion measures were determined, obtaining an average in the weighting achieved by the non-objective group of 51.25 with a standard deviation of 11.69
This meant that, the usability was "marginally acceptable", there were difficulties regarding the interaction with the simulator interface at first, making it difficult for new participants to have a more immersive experience within the test because these factors directly influence the user experience, the rating
Summary
Power substations are key components for the continued and reliable operation of the power system. Most reported accidents by distribution utility companies included factors such as inexperience in operation, violation of safety distances and neglect of technical standards, among others. Traditional training programs carried out by utility companies are usually based on old-fashioned teaching modes, including the study of some documentation (standards, operations and manoeuvre manuals, risk and hazardous explanations and mitigation) [5,6,7]. The use of technologies such as augmented reality (AR) [8] and virtual reality (VR) [9,10] has been studied from an academic perspective to evaluate suitability in these kinds of programs Despite these advances, there are no published studies conducted with real substation technicians at utility companies that validated the acceptance and suitability of these new technologies to improve safety training programs
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