Leveraging Virtual Reality for Robot Manipulator Education

Equipping students with hands-on experience and knowledge of robot manipulators is crucial as robotics becomes more applicable in Industry 4.0. However, the practical implementation of physical manipulators in educational settings is challenging due to high capital costs, operational expertise requirements, safety considerations, and remote accessibility. This paper introduces an approach to address these obstacles by implementing a Virtual Reality (VR) platform for studying robot manipulators. The paper details the conceptual methodology, containing five domains: 3D Modelling, Application of Mechanics, VR Development, VR Integration, and Application Development. The methodology shows the creation of three VR applications focusing on distinct learning scenarios. The first application offers an overview of manipulators, while the second illustrates a specific operation (pick-and-place), providing insights into the combined function of links and joints. The third application allows users to interact with the manipulator, facilitating the execution of programming tasks. The paper concludes by outlining the benefits and the features of a VR manipulator over a physical robot manipulator. Then, it outlines the future enhancements, including developing a digital twin for the VR manipulator and a series of laboratory experiments. The study illustrates a crucial step towards broadening the accessibility of robotics education.