Teaching Robotics with Virtual Reality: Developing Curriculum for the 21st Century Workforce

Abstract

The nature of work is changing. The ongoing shift to automated manufacturing and fabrication in the 21^st Century will require a workforce with a radically different set of skills focused less on manual dexterity for the performance of repetitive tasks and more on interaction with robotic systems. It is expected that both Industrial Manufacturing and the Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector will begin to adopt more automation technology for the production of manufactured goods as well as the design and construction of the built environment. Teaching the fundamental skills required for 21^st century workers in the Industrial Manufacturing and AEC sectors may no longer be feasible or efficient using on the job training or apprenticeship as a primary educational modality. Virtual Reality (VR) environments offer a possible solution to train workers in an immersive, interactive, and safe environment where they are less likely to be injured, slow down production, or cause unintentional damage to products or projects in construction. Developing curriculum for these workers requires a modular approach to pedagogy that draws on skills and strategies of game design. Assessment tools for evaluating knowledge and skills acquisition can be structured using a reward system drawn from game design and game theory. Pedagogic sequence can thus be more self-directed as a learner explores their developing knowledge, skills, and mastery of specific tasks. The addition of biometric sensors integrated with the VR Headset promises to add a powerful tool for testing curriculum in real time and providing feedback that can influence the duration, sequence, and progression of a learner’s exploration of the learning environment. In this paper we will describe the development of our own AI-powered VR learning environment for teaching fundamentals of robotics, discuss the curriculum and assessment tools we have developed for in-person workshops and VR environment training, and present our aspirations for the further development of this educational tool.