3D virtual facilities with interactive instructions for nuclear education and training

Efficient and effective education and training of nuclear engineering students and future operators are critical for the safe operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants. Students and future operators used to receive some of the education and training at university laboratories and research reactors. With many university research reactors now shutdown, both students and future operators are deprived of this valuable training source. With an eye toward this need and to take advantage of recent developments in human machine interface technologies, we have focused on the development of 3D virtual laboratories for nuclear engineering education and training as well as to conduct virtual experiments. These virtual laboratories are expected to supplement currently available resources and education and training experiences. Resent focus is on adding interactivity and physics model to allow trainees to conduct virtual experiments. This paper reports some recent extensions to our virtual nuclear education laboratory and research reactor laboratory. These include head mounted display as well as hand tracking devices for virtual operations.