RiDTwin: XR-First Operator Support and Maintenance for Textile Manufacturing with AR, VR and an Intelligent Virtual Assistant

This article presents an integrated approach that combines Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and an Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) to support training, on-the-job assistance, and maintenance in a textile manufacturing environment. The solution spans three systems: RioRV, a Unity-based VR platform for immersive, step-by-step procedure rehearsal, instructional videos, and simplified 3D animations; RiAR, a mobile AR application for assisted maintenance and access to real-time and historical machine data using marker-based (VuMark) identification; and Ria, a web-based IVA that delivers document-grounded answers, operational queries over a secure plant API, short-horizon forecasting, and a narrow set of guarded remote actions. The architecture prioritizes human-centered Industry 5.0 principles—safety, usability, and resilience—by enabling operators to learn procedures in VR, execute tasks with AR overlays and maintenance media at the workstation, and obtain concise, source-cited guidance via the IVA without leaving immersion. In the case study with a spinning section at RIOPELE, the convergence of VR, AR, and IVA reduced reliance on bulky manuals, shortened time-to-information for machine status, and established a feedback loop in which training and operational experience continuously enrich the knowledge base.