Strengthening the Industry 4.0 Workforce through Virtual Reality Training Modules

通过虚拟现实培训模块加强工业 4.0 劳动力

• 批准号: 2142868
• 负责人: Jason Simon
• 金额: $ 59.35万
• 依托单位: Kentucky Community & Technical College System
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-10-01 至 2024-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2142868&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Strengthening; Industry; 4.0; Workforce; through

As manufacturing contributes to higher export potential, better standards of living, and more jobs in America, addressing the need for a skilled technical workforce is crucial to support the future economic prosperity of the country. Moreover, as a result of the multiplier effect, manufacturing also impacts the broad economy, with every 100 jobs in a manufacturing facility creating 250 jobs in other sectors. In 2018, Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute conducted a study on the manufacturing skills gap that revealed artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, automation, analytics, and the Internet of Things are emerging to transform the world of work (Industry 4.0) and are likely to create even more jobs than they replace. Since mid-2017, job openings in manufacturing have grown at double-digit rates, with a growing gap between open jobs and an available skilled talent pool to fill them. To help bridge this gap, this project of the Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (https://amtecworkforce.org/) will create a virtual reality (VR) application built on the zSpace platform that students can use to troubleshoot ten scenarios on an industry simulator. These scenarios will be integrated into a credit-bearing post-secondary capstone course for manufacturing students developed and designed with input from industry and education subject matter experts. This partnership between representatives of industry and advanced technological education will ensure that the project strengthens the competency and global competitiveness of the advanced manufacturing workforce. The VR application and curricula will be field tested at targeted Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative partner sites across the country, as well as with students and instructors currently using zSpace’s virtual reality platform. In addition, an exploratory curriculum will be developed to engage K-12 students in gaming-like simulations to recruit youth into advanced manufacturing technical training. Several objectives will guide the execution of the project. First is to engage secondary students in Industry 4.0 advanced manufacturing concepts through field-testing a newly created virtual reality “game-like” application. Second is to train post-secondary students preparing to be manufacturing technicians to enter the workforce with a basic understanding of Industry 4.0 technologies and the ability to apply them successfully in the workplace setting. Third is to increase the aptitude of secondary and post-secondary faculty in Industry 4.0 concepts and the use of virtual reality technology by providing comprehensive professional development. Three primary contributions to the field are anticipated. One is an expanded set of partnerships between academia, industry, and others to develop technician training that aligns with the growing Industry 4.0 infrastructure. Two is the improvement of secondary and post-secondary student learning in emerging Industry 4.0 technologies and virtual reality applications. Third is the lessening of disruptions of manufacturing technician training during a pandemic or similar event that creates a need for remote learning. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. As a result, the project has the potential to contribute to improving the national STEM workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

由于制造业有助于提高出口潜力，更好的生活水平以及在美国的更多工作，因此解决了对熟练技术劳动力的需求，对于支持该国未来的经济繁荣至关重要。此外，由于乘数效应，制造业也影响了广泛的经济，制造工厂中每100个就业机会在其他部门创造250个就业机会。 2018年，德勤和制造研究所对制造技能差距进行了一项研究，该研究揭示了人工智能，高级机器人技术，自动化，分析和物联网，以改变工作世界（行业4.0），并可能创造比他们更换的工作更多。自2017年中以来，制造业的职位空缺以两位数的速度增长，开放工作与可用的熟练人才库之间的差距越来越大。为了帮助弥合这一差距，该高级制造技术教育合作社（https://amtecworkforce.org/）的这个项目将创建在ZSPACE平台上构建的虚拟现实（VR）应用程序，学生可以在该应用程序上对行业模拟器上的十个方案进行故障排除。这些方案将纳入一项信用的登记后顶峰课程，以制造和设计，并设计由行业和教育主题专家的投入。工业代表与高级技术教育之间的这种伙伴关系将确保该项目能够增强高级制造业劳动力的能力和全球竞争力。 VR应用程序和课程将在全国各地的有针对性的高级制造技术教育合作伙伴网站以及目前使用ZSpace虚拟现实平台的学生和讲师中进行现场测试。此外，还将开发一项探索性课程，以吸引K-12学生进行类似游戏的模拟，以招募青年参加高级制造技术培训。几个目标将指导项目的执行。首先是通过对现场测试的新创建的虚拟现实“类似游戏”应用程序来吸引二级学生4.0高级制造概念。其次是培训准备要制造技术人员的大专生，以对工业4.0技术的基本了解，并能够成功地将其应用于工作场所环境，以进入劳动力。第三是通过提供全面的专业发展，提高行业4.0概念中的次级和专上教师的才能以及虚拟现实技术的使用。预计该领域的三个主要贡献。其中之一是学术界，行业和其他人之间的一组合作伙伴关系，以开发与不断发展的行业4.0基础设施保持一致的技术培训。二是新兴行业中二级和大专生学习4.0技术和虚拟现实应用程序的改进。第三是在大流行或类似事件中减少制造技术培训的中断，这会导致需要远程学习。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划的重点是推动国家经济的高级技术领域的技术人员教育。结果，该项目有可能为改善国家STEM劳动力做出贡献。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，被视为通过评估而被视为珍贵的支持。