Interface design for maintenace and security system in VR/Web
Problem: The plant maintenance tasks are very complex and hard to remember
PreZero is a company that prioritizes the safety of its employees, which is why they reached out to us to develop a project aimed at enhancing safety within their waste treatment facilities.
This work was done during my years at VT-Lab for the company Prezero Spain, In this project, I was responsible for designing the user interface, conducting user research, and optimizing the experience for various devices. I collaborated closely with the development team throughout the process.
Research
This project is closely related to the training platform previously developed for PreZero, which is explained in detail here.
The first step involved conducting a comprehensive study to understand the root cause of the problem and explore potential solutions.
This study built upon the foundation of the previous project, leveraging a significant amount of information gathered during that process.
Following discussions with new operators and plant supervisors, it was concluded that new operators were unable to practice effectively during their training and pre-study phase because the training was not conducted on-site.
Based on these findings, and with the support of the company, we decided to expand the safety training platform. This initiative began with designing a prototype in Figma, to develop the solution as both a web application and an augmented reality application.
The website would serve as a central hub for managing personnel and maintaining the features of the previous platform, while the application would focus on facilitating training sessions for operators.
Web Homepage
Homepage was designed as a control center for personnel and the plant. It allows users to view maintenance statuses, get an overview of the facilities and access information on specific training for each user.
Comprehensive plant oversight
Website features a 3D model viewer as its dashboard. This tool is used to display all current issues or problems the bridge may have, as well as information on who is conducting the training and the status of the machinery.
Due to the need for this tool, the plant was digitized and a digital twin was created, with the possibility of connecting the model to the plant’s sensors in the future.
User management
As a complement to the model viewer, an additional interface has been created to manage plant personnel.
This screen allows for the distribution of workers into shifts and facilitates the management of mandatory safety practices for each user.
Free walking arround the plant in VR
During the course of the project, the client proposed the idea of using the virtual reality application for marketing and showroom purposes. As a result, we had to restructure the application to accommodate this new functionality.
To achieve this, we developed an interface that allows users to choose between security training while freely navigating the model or completing a training session on a specific topic.
The first option was designed to enable remote control of the application. By connecting it to a computer, an external user can offer virtual tours of the facility. The website would serve as a hub for managing personnel and integrating the features from the previous platform, while the application itself would be aimed at operators to facilitate training sessions.
During this virtual tour, basic safety instructions for the plant are provided. These instructions serve as a precursor to the safety talks and courses that will be conducted upon their permanent integration into the facility.
For these instructions, the main safety materials relevant to the plant have been recreated, demonstrating when they should be used and when they should not.
Security training in VR
The safety training simulates a fire emergency within the facility and sets a specific time limit for responding to the questions. This time frame was determined based on discussions with the plant’s security personnel.
Interface for this part of the application has been designed with user-friendliness in mind, considering the quick response needed from users when answering the questions.
The training exposes users to real-life cases that have previously occurred in the plant, making it essential to reinforce the guidelines through repetition and practice. To encourage engagement, gamification is integrated into the applications.
At the end of the training, a screen displays the user’s survival probability based on their responses and completion time.
Maintenance training: Safety in VR
With the virtual reality application, the complete maintenance process for one of the plant’s main machines was developed.
The objective is to enable users to memorize and recall the safety procedures required when handling the machinery.
UI was designed to allow users to move around the machine by teleportation system and interact directly with model components. For example, if the process requires pulling a lever, the user must bring the controller to the lever, grip it using the side button and pull the controller down.
The first step was to emphasize safety, so a table was set up displaying the key PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) that users must wear during actual maintenance.
Each of these steps has a minimum display time to ensure users have enough time to read through and don’t skip them “accidentally”. Moving to the next step is done by clicking a button.
At certain points, and as a precaution during processes, important safety reminders are provided, prompting users to stay alert and understand what is happening
Important steps are highlighted with arrows and a glow effect, marking both the object to interact with and the intended direction.
These actions are further supported by interface animations and 3D models that, in a holographic style, illustrate the required actions.
Each step includes safety content, making this one of the most prominent aspects of the training.
All of these practices were maintained for all the security training plarform.
The result:
This I+D project provided us with the opportunity to work on future projects with PreZero after this initial interaction, trust was established with the client. The project demonstrated a significant improvement in plant safety. By conducting maintenance using the applications, the possibility of operators forgetting critical safety aspects is eliminated.
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Additionally, this project enhanced the understanding of maintenance processes for new operators, with an estimated 10% improvement, assessed through user satisfaction surveys.
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This project provided me with the opportunity to work with real users, addressing real-world challenges within an industry. It served as a testing ground where I could refine my skills and processes for solving usability issues.
Main technologies in this project:
HTML, CSS, Figma, Unity3D, VR, Anchors, Digital twins
Check out this project on asset management in AR, VR, and the web.