Ever heard of Oculus Rift?

No, neither had I. Gamers, I am told, are more than familiar with this particular technology.

I am, of course, referring to the virtual reality, head-mounted display. We’ve seen this technology for years, in some form or other – most commonly in science fiction movies that provide a snapshot of what technology will be like in the future.

But the technology is here and it’s already making an impact in the world of gaming, enabling users to go inside the game and experience the action in virtual reality, 3D.

So what’s it got to do with mining?

New research undertaken by Deloitte and Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, is changing the way we train miners and other industry personnel.

It’s also connecting families of fly-in, fly-out miners in a way that’s never been possible until now.

Deloitte and Curtin held a series of workshops in Perth last week to introduce the technologies to a number of prominent Western Australian companies.

Executives that joined the sessions had the opportunity to try a range of immersive scenarios first hand.

New consumer hardware such as the Oculus Rift VR headset is being developed for the computer gaming world and shows the potential to lower costs associated with training in immersive learning environments.

“Each of the executives was genuinely excited about the prospects for this kind of disruptive technology to make training and induction an engaging process,” said Deloitte’s WA advanced analytics lead partner Coert du Plessis, who hosted the workshops.

Deloitte and Curtin believe that training undertaken using immersive technologies will have a more lasting effect on employees because of the realistic environments and emotional experiences that can be created.

One executive in the workshops reflected on the compliance nature of training, saying: “We no longer allow our staff to experience failure and learn from those experiences; a failure in the virtual world is a great and safe learning experience.”

Curtin logistics research cluster lead, Dr Torsten Reiners, is investigating the use of the technology for skills training and awareness in authentic, self-explorative environments, as part of the university’s strategy for “Learning for Tomorrow”

The project, which has been funded by the federal government’s office for learning and teaching, aims to create authentic and immersive environments where students can apply the theory they learn in class to industry.

The Oculus Rift headset gives users a full, 360-degree range of vision and the ability to physically move and interact within the environment on their own terms.

So authentic is the experience that casual users experimenting with the technology need to be supported not to fall over in a virtual rollercoaster ride.

Having tried out the headset, I can vouch for this. In terms of safety training, it’s certainly more realistic than simply watching a presentation and filling out a questionnaire.

It also provides a greater degree of reality than existing simulator technology.

This realism has another benefit for resources and construction companies, Du Plessis said, in that it provided FIFO workers with the opportunity to give their families a taste of what they go through in their everyday life onsite while they’re away from home.

Nicole Ashby, founder and director of FIFO Families, a support organisation for families with one or more parents working away on remote sites, attended one of the workshops.

She believes the virtual worksite experience offers families another window into a family member’s working day.

“It’s brilliant to be able to use tools like these to create a greater connection and understanding of what really happens onsite,” she said.

Exposing families to realistic workplace scenarios is expected to impact positively on the family unit and allow partners and their children to contextualise stories and events brought home from a FIFO swing.

For employers, there is the opportunity for improved safety, as family members are more likely to remind the parent to undertake proper safety procedures onsite if they know what the risks and protections are themselves.

As technology advances, there’s potential for families to watch a family member at work, on a live feed from a minesite. That day may not be that far away.

But it’s the safety element that will most interest mining companies in the short term, as they’re offered the opportunity to put staff into the most dangerous conditions they’re likely to face on a minesite – from the comfort of an office.