Tactus Technologies developed a first-of-its-kind virtual reality training program for forklift operators, a product expected to reduce work-related injuries and deaths. Improper forklift operations cause roughly 100 fatalities and more than 100,000 injuries annually in the United States, according to OSHA.
To remedy the high accident rate, the 3-D Forklift Trainer allows operators to practice with a video-game-like system that features a steering wheel, joystick, pedals, and simulated environments such as warehouses, elevators and railroad tracks.
?Until recently, such virtual reality technologies were only available to military and university laboratories,? said Thenkurussi ?Kesh? Kesavadas, Tactus co-founder and UB professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. ?By pioneering the use of gaming technology and computers in our software, we are able to offer the 3-D forklift simulator at a low and reasonable cost for industrial safety training.?
Current training typically involves a combination of classroom-based lectures, videos and observation before ?on-the-job training? propels operators into the driver?s seat.
?The problem is that this type of training is passive rather than interactive,? says Jim Mayrose, CEO and co-founder of Tactus, which is a spinoff company from the University at Buffalo. He says the simulator arose from a need to improve operator readiness.
Created with a grant from the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health, the simulator incorporates safety lessons aligned with OSHA standards. Lesson plans require reacting to safety challenges such as ramps, elevators and people that reinforce the use of correct techniques. Personal profiles track trainee progress and evaluate performance. On average, it takes three to four hours to complete the simulator program.
?Companies using our product will find that they have shorter training cycles with less supervision needed and, most importantly, a safer environment,? Mayrose said.
Customers will receive a full license for the 3D Forklift Trainer software, a customized computer, and a steering wheel and pedals. A 60-inch screen and specialized forklift-type seating is optional. A commercial version of the trainer, which features a standard warehouse environment,? also is available. The program also can be customized to match the company culture and is available to companies of all sizes, with the first installation site at the Cummins engine plant in Jamestown, N.Y.
For more information about Tactus and its services, visit: www.tactustech.com.
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