Development of a VR-Based Excavator Operation Training System Integrated with Electrotactile Feedback

Future excavators may integrate supplementary sensory feedback, such as auditory and tactile cues, to support operators beyond visual information.Before such systems are applied to real equipment, their safety and usability need to be evaluated in a controlled VR environment.This study developed a VR-based excavator training system that integrates electrotactile feedback to help learners perceive proximity risks between the bucket and obstacles.The system calculates the bucket-obstacle distance in real time and adjusts the intensity of electrotactile stimulation according to distance changes.The experiment was conducted under three conditions: monitor-based operation (C1), VR-based operation (C2), and VR-based operation with electrotactile feedback (C3).The results showed that the VR environment functioned as an experimental and educational platform for safely experiencing and evaluating feedback.In C3 condition, collision frequency decreased, and participants reported that feedback helped them recognize and avoid risks more quickly.This study contributes by integrating feedback into VR-based excavator training and evaluating its effects through both task performance and user assessment.