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ManuVAR vision:

Offshoring is a natural phenomenon. It will exist while there are large differences in labour cost. But European industries could focus on the business that cannot be offshored - unique or deeply customized products, maintenance of fixed installations, operation and maintenance of machinery. This business relies on the knowledge and skills of people rather than on minimizing labour costs. ManuVAR has contributed to highlighting how manual work can be an opportunity for Europe.

ManuVAR has developed the following instruments to improve manual work:

• Technological: the platform of reconfigurable and modular virtual and augmented reality tools, system architecture, tested technical prototypes  

Krassi, B., Strauchmann, M., Kiviranta, S., Leino, S.-P., Viitaniemi, J., Reyes-Lecuona, A., Sääski, J., Virtual Model for Supporting Communication of Manual Work Information Throughout System Lifecycle // Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) days 2010, ISBN 978-3-8396-0145-7, Magdeburg, Germany, June 15-17, 2010, 228-233 p., full text: www.vtt.fi/inf/julkaisut/muut/2010/Krassi_et_al.pdf

Leino, S.-P.; Kiviranta, S.; Rantanen, P.; Heikkilä, J.; Martikainen, T.; Vehviläinen, M.; Mäkiranta, A.; Nuutinen, P.; Hokkanen, I.; Multanen, P. Collaboration between Design and Production by exploiting VR/AR and PLM - Case Metso Minerals // // Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE2010), Miami, Florida, USA, 17-20 July, 2010, ISBN-13: 978-0-9796435-4-5. Published in “Advances in Occupational, Social, and Organizational Ergonomics” (eds. Vink, P., Kantola, J.), CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 9781439835074

• Methodological: the ManuVAR PLM model, its application methodology, framework of ergonomics methods to support manual work throughout the system lifecycle

Aromaa, S., Viitaniemi, J., Leva, C., Krassi, B., Integration of Human Factors methods to the ManuVAR Product Lifecycle Management model // Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE2010), Miami, Florida, USA, 17-20 July, 2010, 9 p. ISBN-13: 978-0-9796435-4-5. Published in “Advances in Occupational, Social, and Organizational Ergonomics” (eds. Vink, P., Kantola, J.), CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 9781439835074                  

Liston, P., Kay, A., Cromie, S., Leva, C., D’Cruz, M., Patel, H., Langley, A., Sharples, S., Aromaa, S. Evaluating the iterative development of VR/AR human factors tools for manual work // 18th World Congress of Ergonomics, 2012                            

• Policy: recommendations and evidence for policy makers (industry, community, political) that high knowledge high value manual work can be an opportunity for European industries.

ManuVAR has identified seven key problem areas regarding high knowledge high value manual work:

1. Problems with communication throughout the lifecycle;
2. Poor interfaces;
3. Inflexible design process;
4. Inefficient knowledge management;
5. Low productivity;
6. Lack of technology acceptance of virtual and augmented reality technology;
7. Physical and cognitive stress.

Krassi, B., D’Cruz, M., Vink, P., ManuVAR: a framework for improving manual work through virtual and augmented reality // Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE2010), Miami, Florida, USA, 17-20 July, 2010, 10 p. ISBN-13: 978-0-9796435-4-5. Published in “Advances in Occupational, Social, and Organizational Ergonomics” (eds. Vink, P., Kantola, J.), CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 9781439835074

Main characteristics of the ManuVAR system architecture:

Krassi, B., Kiviranta, S., Liston, P. Leino, S.-P., Strauchmann, M., Reyes-Lecuona, A., Viitaniemi, J., Sääski, J., Aromaa, S., Helin, K. ManuVAR PLM model, methodology, architecture, and tools for manual work support throughout system lifecycle // Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE2010), Miami, Florida, USA, 17-20 July, 2010, 11 p. ISBN-13: 978-0-9796435-4-5. Published in “Advances in Occupational, Social, and Organizational Ergonomics” (eds. Vink, P., Kantola, J.), CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 9781439835074

Krassi, B., Strauchmann, M., Kiviranta, S., Leino, S.-P., Viitaniemi, J., Reyes-Lecuona, A., Sääski, J., Virtual Model for Supporting Communication of Manual Work Information Throughout System Lifecycle // Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (IFF) days 2010, ISBN 978-3-8396-0145-7, Magdeburg, Germany, June 15-17, 2010, 228-233 p., full text: www.vtt.fi/inf/julkaisut/muut/2010/Krassi_et_al.pdf

• "Virtual model" provides means for bi-directional communication throughout system lifecycle (e.g. workers' feedback or experience to designers, designers' feedback or recommendations to the workers). It plays the role of a communications mediator - a single access point to the variety of data, information, models on the system for all users in the lifecycle. The bi-directional connectivity to CAD/Product Data Management (PDM) systems works in the following way: virtual environments are generated semi-automatically from CAD/PDM models (which is similar to generative design and model-driven architecture). The reverse link: a message on the changes from the virtual environment is passed back to CAD/PDM and then the virtual environment is re-generated;
• Contextualized and adapted user interfaces that fit all actors in the lifecycle. The role of the interfaces is to provide a natural and efficient medium between the human and the complex "virtual model" to all actors: from workers to engineers and managers. The user interface has two reconfigurable layers: user-specific logic (adjusted based on the user's profile and needs) and application-specific logic (implements the function of the tool);
• Knowledge management approach adopted in ManuVAR is based on the Nonaka's organizational knowledge creation theory, which defines four modalities of knowledge creation:

Application tools implemented in the project:

• Contextual instruction delivery (augmented reality, tracking; remote and local versions)

Azpiazu, J., Siltanen, S., Multanen, P., Mäkiranta, A., Barrena, N., Díez, A., Agirre, J., Smith, T. Remote support for maintenance tasks by the use of Augmented Reality: the ManuVAR project // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Ergonomics evaluation (automatic physical & cognitive load analysis, full body motionn capture)

van Rhijn, G., Bosch, T., de Looze, M. Mixed Reality System and objective ergonomics evaluation for designing work stations in manufacturing industry // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Task analysis and procedure validation (hierarchical task analysis tool, virtual reality tool with haptics)                                                                   

Gaia, E., Basso, V., Vizzi, C., Virtual Reality for planning and validating spacecraft integrating procedures in Thales Alenia Space Italia // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Motor skill training (virtual reality with haptics, precision teaching theory)

Poyade, M., Reyes-Lecuona, A., Frutos, E., Flores, S., Langley, A., D’Cruz, M., Valdina, A., Tosolin, F. Using virtual reality for the training of the Metallographic Replica technique used to inspect power plants by TECNATOM S.A. // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums

Industrial cases developed in the project:                                                                  

Krassi, B., D’Cruz, M., Vink, P., ManuVAR: a framework for improving manual work through virtual and augmented reality // Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE2010), Miami, Florida, USA, 17-20 July, 2010, 10 p. ISBN-13: 978-0-9796435-4-5. Published in “Advances in Occupational, Social, and Organizational Ergonomics” (eds. Vink, P., Kantola, J.), CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 9781439835074

• Virtual and augmented reality assisted procedure compliance in terrestrial satellite assembly;                                                                                                  

Gaia, E., Basso, V., Vizzi, C., Virtual Reality for planning and validating spacecraft integrating procedures in Thales Alenia Space Italia // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Low cost virtual reality system for improving assembly lines in small and medium enterprises;                                                                                                          

van Rhijn, G., Bosch, T., de Looze, M. Mixed Reality System and objective ergonomics evaluation for designing work stations in manufacturing industry // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Virtual and augmented reality enhanced remote online maintenance support in the railway sector;                                                                                                

Azpiazu, J., Siltanen, S., Multanen, P., Mäkiranta, A., Barrena, N., Díez, A., Agirre, J., Smith, T. Remote support for maintenance tasks by the use of Augmented Reality: the ManuVAR project // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Use of virtual reality for improving training on non-destructive techniques          

Poyade, M., Reyes-Lecuona, A., Frutos, E., Flores, S., Langley, A., D’Cruz, M., Valdina, A., Tosolin, F. Using virtual reality for the training of the Metallographic Replica technique used to inspect power plants by TECNATOM S.A. // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf

• Virtual and augmented reality in the heavy machinery productization and maintenance

Leino, S.-P.; Kiviranta, S.; Rantanen, P.; Heikkilä, J.; Martikainen, T.; Vehviläinen, M.; Mäkiranta, A.; Nuutinen, P.; Hokkanen, I.; Multanen, P. Collaboration between Design and Production by exploiting VR/AR and PLM - Case Metso Minerals // // Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE2010), Miami, Florida, USA, 17-20 July, 2010, ISBN-13: 978-0-9796435-4-5. Published in “Advances in Occupational, Social, and Organizational Ergonomics” (eds. Vink, P., Kantola, J.), CRC Press, 2010, ISBN 9781439835074 

Heikkilä, J., Helin, K., Leino, S-P., Customer Requirements Validation with VR Technologies – Case Metso Minerals // Joint VR Conference of euroVR and EGVE, Nottingham, UK, 2011, ISBN 978-951-38-7603-6, http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/symposiums/2011/S269.pdf